Quantitative metrics for determining aquifer ecosystem state. Clean groundwater comes from dirty surface water by way of biological purification. This project will develop quantitative ways to assess groundwater ecosystems to ensure the sustainable extraction of water and maintenance of these crucial ecosystems.
Engineering Hybrid Materials with Functional Bioactivity in the GI Tract. This project aims to use an advanced particle engineering approach to develop novel biomaterials with multifunctional activities in the gastrointestinal tract. The project expects to generate new fundamental knowledge of the key interfacial processes that control digestion and identify new pathways for modulating gut microbiome composition. By establishing structure-activity relationships through mechanistic in vitro and i ....Engineering Hybrid Materials with Functional Bioactivity in the GI Tract. This project aims to use an advanced particle engineering approach to develop novel biomaterials with multifunctional activities in the gastrointestinal tract. The project expects to generate new fundamental knowledge of the key interfacial processes that control digestion and identify new pathways for modulating gut microbiome composition. By establishing structure-activity relationships through mechanistic in vitro and in vivo models, the knowledge gain will help guide material design for optimised bioactivity. Technology transfer of the lead formulation through quality by design manufacturing practice is anticipated to position the industry partner for future commercial opportunities within the nutraceutical sector.Read moreRead less
Unlocking the secrets of the groundwater cycle using Si and Li isotopes. This project aims to determine how non-conventional lithium and silicon isotopes can be used to understand groundwater processes using an innovative source-to-target approach. The project aims to apply these isotope tracers to trace the water cycle within a well constrained system: an island aquifer with a dense borefield which has been analysed using traditional isotopic techniques. Supporting hydrochemical data will be us ....Unlocking the secrets of the groundwater cycle using Si and Li isotopes. This project aims to determine how non-conventional lithium and silicon isotopes can be used to understand groundwater processes using an innovative source-to-target approach. The project aims to apply these isotope tracers to trace the water cycle within a well constrained system: an island aquifer with a dense borefield which has been analysed using traditional isotopic techniques. Supporting hydrochemical data will be used to determine the relationship of the isotopes with environmental processes. The project impact will be the development of new methods to help understand our groundwater resource. The improved process understanding will be translated to groundwater management in general. The projects' focus on carbonate aquifer systems typical of coastal regions of southern, eastern and western Australia will have relevance to groundwater management in urban areas such as Perth and in rural areas for tourism and viticulture, and for management of natural resources in National Parks.Read moreRead less
Enhancing Seagrass Restoration : Improving Hessian Durability in Marine Environments. The establishment of an environmentally benign method for restoration of seagrass beds (which provide habitat for a wide range of commercially, recreationally and ecologically important marine species) will enhance Australia's capability of maintaining its coastal marine environment in support of its fishing and ecotourism industries. Furthermore, it will ultimately improve our capacity to manage the environmen ....Enhancing Seagrass Restoration : Improving Hessian Durability in Marine Environments. The establishment of an environmentally benign method for restoration of seagrass beds (which provide habitat for a wide range of commercially, recreationally and ecologically important marine species) will enhance Australia's capability of maintaining its coastal marine environment in support of its fishing and ecotourism industries. Furthermore, it will ultimately improve our capacity to manage the environmental impact of human development on our natural resources. If successful, the knowledge gained of the dynamics of marine biofilms on differentially coated natural fibers could facilitate broader application of methods used in environmental restoration and marine based industries, and foreshadow new applications.Read moreRead less
Water, carbon, and economics: resolving complex linkages for river health. By linking landscapes into our emerging low-carbon economy, this project will investigate how land management practices can be improved through payments for ecosystem services. With a focus on water and carbon, the main goal is to develop mechanisms to support integrated land and water management at the catchment scale.
Bad tastes, odours and toxins in our drinking water reservoirs: are benthic cyanobacteria the culprits? Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) produce toxins and bad tastes that contaminate drinking water sources, cause public concern about water quality. This project will address a critical knowledge gap by investigating species that grow on the sediments of reservoirs, thus providing more comprehensive management solutions to the water industry.
Reducing the deleterious impacts of clay particle interactions with valuable minerals in copper and gold processing. This project seeks to understand the rheological behaviour of clay minerals and the effect of the viscosity caused by clay minerals on gas dispersion, the transport of network structures and the locking of the structures in the froth in mineral flotation. Novel methods will be developed to improve flotation separation by reducing the viscosity.
Multiscale physics for enhanced oil recovery. The project aims to develop a multiscale mathematical and laboratory modelling methodology for combined enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and CO2 storage, and synthesise the technology for Santos’s Mulberry oilfield as a test case. The multidisciplinary team will develop advanced reservoir- and laboratory-scale mathematical models and novel laboratory methods to enhance the reliability of modern EOR and CO2 storage and increase its uptake by companies in A ....Multiscale physics for enhanced oil recovery. The project aims to develop a multiscale mathematical and laboratory modelling methodology for combined enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and CO2 storage, and synthesise the technology for Santos’s Mulberry oilfield as a test case. The multidisciplinary team will develop advanced reservoir- and laboratory-scale mathematical models and novel laboratory methods to enhance the reliability of modern EOR and CO2 storage and increase its uptake by companies in Australia and globally. The expected outcomes are a pioneering methodology with environmental benefits without additional drilling and reduction of greenhouse effect, and economic benefit to the Australian oil industry through increases in productivity.Read moreRead less
A global standard for the status of Wetlands of International Importance. The project will develop and test a new global standard for the assessment and reporting on ecological condition of internationally important wetlands, listed under the Ramsar Convention. It has four aims: establishment of a strategic adaptive management and governance framework, a meta-analysis of the 2,303 internationally listed wetlands, development of a protocol for assessment and prediction and delivering a digital re ....A global standard for the status of Wetlands of International Importance. The project will develop and test a new global standard for the assessment and reporting on ecological condition of internationally important wetlands, listed under the Ramsar Convention. It has four aims: establishment of a strategic adaptive management and governance framework, a meta-analysis of the 2,303 internationally listed wetlands, development of a protocol for assessment and prediction and delivering a digital reporting platform for effective management. The project is significant because it tackles the decline of freshwater ecosystems, by targeting the most prominent wetlands. It also assists state and national governments to meet their obligations under the Ramsar Convention and most importantly guides more effective management.Read moreRead less
Regrinding chemistry and particle breakage mechanisms in increased surface hydrophobicity on fine and ultra-fine particles in mineral flotation. This project will study the effect of regrinding chemistry and particle breakage mechanisms on the redistribution of flotation collectors and the evolution of the metal oxidation species on mineral surfaces. New technologies will be developed to increase mineral surface hydrophobicity and therefore increase fine and ultra-fine particle flotation.