Index
Ph D and Masters Projects in Environmental Science
Abdurahman Anod
Supervisors: Nichola Porter, Julie Niere
Consultant: Conor Hogan (Latrobe University)
Design and development of an FIA system for the determination of inorganic phosphonate, glyphosate and its metabolites (aminomethyl-phosphonic acid) in environmental samples.
The main aim of this project is to develop a cheap and robust method for analysing commonly used pesticides in soil, sediment and plants using a flow injection system. The pesticides to be analysed include inorganic and organic phosphonate. In order to achieve this aim, conditions for converting both organic and inorganic phosphonate in plant material and soil in aqueous solutions to a measurable form of phosphorus will be optimised
External Funding: VICS
David Beale
Supervisors: Nichola Porter, Felicity Roddick
Development of a Portable Instrument for the Rapid Determination of Pesticide Residue in Water
The main objective of the project is to develop an instrument that can be easily transported from site to site for insitu rapid determination of a pesticide in aqueous samples. The onsite determination of a pesticide will eliminate the time consuming process that is currently required when samples are taken back to the laboratory for analysis.
Firew Beshah
Supervisors: Barry Meehan, Nichola Porter
The incorporation of dewatered and composted biosolids on canola and oats as energy crops and the prospects of producing biodiesel and ethanol, thereby reducing stock piles of biosolid, and its contribution to sustainable management of sewage sludges in the future.
Brad Clarke
Supervisors: Nichola Porter, Felicity Roddick
Investigating the Mobility of Organic Contaminants in Biosolids When Applied to Land
This research project is investigating organic chemical contamination of ‘biosolids’ (suitably treated sewage sludge). The utilization of biosolids is an attractive option as it takes advantage of its numerous beneficial properties such as nutrients and soil conditioning, as well as reducing the volume of waste that would otherwise need to be disposed off by other means such as landfill. However biosolids can be contaminated by persistent organic chemicals that may make this practice unsuitable due to elevated risk to humans and environment. This research project is investigating 1) the levels of targeted organic compounds in Australian biosolids 2) the movement of these compounds in a real field trial and 3) developing an environmental risk assessment for Australian biosolids with human and environmental endpoints
Damien Falconer
Supervisors: Assoc. Prof. Barry Meehan, Professor Mike Adams
Analysis of Altered Soils: Development of Tools to Enhance Soil Data Interpretation.
The physical and chemical properties of a soil can be altered by a range of factors. The scope of this project is to develop analytical tools that will aid in the acquisition and interpretation of complex soil data.
Selected sites on the Mornington Peninsula will be used to undertake this study where varying soil types as well as a number of unresolved issues involving altered soil changes in local vineyards are present. The analytical and chemometric tools developed in this study can be applied to investigate and analyse soils in other sites under a range of agricultural production and land contamination scenes.
The principal objectives of this research are:
- To explore and develop analytical and chemometric techniques and methodology for soil analysis and characterisation.
- To identify changes in soil properties that are the cause of anomalies in vine canopy density and other crop growth characteristics.
- To predict the short and long term impact of reclaimed water use on a soil’s properties through developing chemometric techniques.
- To assess changes in soil characteristics due to differences in management practises.
- To assess the properties of altered soils compared with soils of the same type that have undergone minimal change.
- To develop predictive tools that can be used in other cases involving impacted soils under a range of agricultural production and soil contamination studies.
Dane Hansen
Supervisor: Nichola Porter
Characterization of the volatile organic components and heavy metals adsorbed to particulates generated in bushfires
Bushfires generate high levels of particulates which have been shown to vary in size [Evans,1976;Vines,1973]. Some of these particulates are less than 1 m which can penetrate deep into the lungs. Because of their high surface to volume ratio, these particulates can also transfer adsorbed contaminants across the lung-blood barrier into the blood stream. While there have been studies on the relationship between the particulate load from bushfires and the incidence of asthma[Johnston, et al.,2002], there appear to have been no studies conducted on the organics being transmitted via the particulates.
The aims of this project are to:
- Characterize the particulates generated by bushfires from varying sources with respect to their size and adsorbed semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) and heavy metals.
- Investigate the difference between urban particulates and those generated by bushfires
- Investigate the effect of fuel type on the nature of the adsorbed SVOCs and heavy metals.
Trish Ibrahim
Supervisors: Barry Meehan, Jeff Hughes
TDS Reduction through adjustment of pH discharge limits.
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) can affect our ability to reuse recycled water from treatment plants. A major contributor of high total dissolved solids (TDS) in wastewater is industry. For trade waste compliance from relevant water authorities, industries must pre-treat trade waste before discharging into the sewer system. In conjunction with City West Water, Melbourne Water and EPA an investigation is being carried out to determine if the pH discharge limit range can be broadened. Thus, trade waste customers in the City West Water region will be able to reduce the amount of acid/alkali neutralization and reduce the amount of TDS being discharged.