RESTORE has a team of over 20 researchers working on a variety of
leading projects from detailed studies of fundamental contaminant
transport and remediation processes through to the application of
remedial technologies in practice. Experimental research is largely
conducted in the RESTORE laboratories, while
numerical modelling work is carried out on a variety of machines from
desktop workstations through to high performance parallel computing
facilities.
A selection of ongoing projects are described below.
| Project Title | Funding | RESTORE Investigators | Collaborators | Key Personnel |
| In-Situ Self-sustaining Treatment for Active Remediation (STAR) | NSERC Strategic Grant: $365K | Gerhard and O’Carroll | 1 PDF, 1 PhD, MESc Stephanie MacPhee 1 MESc | |
| STAR is an innovative NAPL remediation technology based on the principle of self-sustaining smouldering combustion. STAR has been proven at the bench and prototype field scales for ex-situ remediation applications by this research group. This project focuses on developing STAR for in-situ remediation of NAPL source zones. Overview of STAR technology here. | ||||
| Best in Science: Assessing the Risk of Organic Contaminants at Off-Site Receptors | MOE: $127,500 | Gerhard and O’Carroll | 1 PhD, 1 PDF | |
| The proposed study will evaluate the fate, transport and transformation of industrial contaminants at the scale of a site versus a community, and assess the implications for risk-based decision-making. | ||||
| Development of Nanometals for Source Zone Remediation | NSERC Strategic Grant: $407K | O’Carroll and Herrera | Sleep, U. Toronto Acosta, U. Toronto Dow Chemical & AMEC Geomatrix Consultants Inc. |
2 PDF, 3 PhD, 4 MESc |
| The development of reactive nanometals for the remediation of source zone chlorinated solvents with a specific focus on clay permeable media systems. | ||||
| Ex Situ STAR Remediation: Field Demonstrations | Scottish Enterprise: 640K | Gerhard | Torero, U. Edinburgh | PDF Christine Switzer PDF Pedro Rizkala |
| This project is developing the STAR technology as a proven ex situ remediation option for coal tars and other recalcitrant hydrocarbons. Studies at intermediate and prototype field scales with a number of manufactured and historical soils contaminated with tars and petrochemicals have demonstrated the technical effectiveness and cost efficiency of STAR. | ||||
| Real World Soil-NAPL Wettability: Tools for Site Assessment and Implications for Site Remediation | NSERC Strategic Grant: 200K | O’Carroll and Gerhard | Van Geel, Carleton U Geosyntec Consultants Ltd. AMEC Geomatrix Consultants Inc.Interra |
MESc Stephanie Drake MESc Ian Molnar MESc. 3 UGs |
| This project has three main objectives: the development of an analytical tool for wettability characterization at brownfield sites, the validation of a robust constitutive model for field NAPL-soil systems, and an assessment of the impacts of wettability on remediation technologies for NAPL-wet soils. | ||||
| Delivery of Reactive Nanometals for Source Zone Remediation | Ontario Centres of Excellence and Dow Chemical: 400K | O’Carroll | Sleep, U. Toronto City of London City of Ottawa Geosyntec Consultants Ltd. |
M.E.Sc Christopher Kocur PDF Mai Sakulchaicharoen |
| The development of the delivery systems of reactive nanometals for remediating chlorinated solvent source zones. | ||||
| Discharge of industrial groundwater contaminants to the Great Lakes | Regional Water Supply: $75K | Robinson and O’Carroll | 1 M.E.Sc - Jacky Lee |
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| This project aims to evaluate the potential discharge of contaminants from an industrial site to nearshore surface waters. This will be achieved through a combination of field investigations and the development of a numerical groundwater-surface water model. This research is been conducted for Source Water Protection Planning. | ||||
| Impact of dynamic groundwater-coastal water interaction | NSERC Discovery Grants: $100K | Robinson | 1 M.E.Sc - Nawrin Anwar | |
| The importance of groundwater for delivering pollutants to coastal waters and the impact of water level fluctuations (e.g., tides, waves, seasonal variations) on the fate and transport of pollutants. | ||||
| Mechanistic understanding of processes controlling the state of beaches on the Great Lakes. | Western Academic Development Fund (Small Grant): $10,000 | Robinson | ||
| Identification and quantification of the impact of human and environmental stressors on the physical condition and water quality at beaches of the Great Lakes. | ||||
| Mobility Of Engineered Nanoparticles In The Subsurface | Ontario Ministry of the Environment Best in Science: $150K | O'Carroll | MESc Erin Cullen MESc Nikolai Mattison |
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| Determination of the fate of engineered nanoparticles, including carbon nanotubes, in the subsurface. | ||||
| Deterministic Synthesis and Site Specific Functionalization of Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes and Their Application on the Synthesis of Functional Materials | NSERC Discovery Grant: 100K | Herrera | 1 M.E.Sc 1 Ph.D. |
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| The synthesis, characterization and functionalization of carbon nanotube –based nanoparticles for use in functional devices. | ||||
| Upscaling and Optimizing Emerging Technologies for Geoenvironmental Restoration | NSERC Discovery Grant: 125K | Gerhard | PhD Chris Power 1PhD Student |
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| Experiments and modelling to further develop remediation technologies and techniques for monitoring the progress of remediaton. One current project involves developing electrical resistivity tomography and ground penetrating radar as non-invasive techniques for mapping the progress of DNAPL source zone remediation. | ||||
| Characterization and Remediation of Complex
Subsurface Nonaqueous Phase Liquid Wastes |
Discovery Grant: $110 K |
O’Carroll |
2 M.E.Sc | |
| The characterization and remediation of nonaqueous phase liquid wastes from field sites in porous media systems. | ||||
| Development of a model to forecast lead levels in water distribution systems | Walkerton Clean Water Centre: 100K | Herrera, O’Carroll, Gerhard |
City of London |
3 M.E.Sc |
| Integrated experiments and modelling to improve our ability to forecast lead levels present in drinking water as result of lead pipe corrosion. | ||||
| Development of Nanomaterials and Hot Water Flooding for Enhanced Groundwater Remediation | Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation: 150K | O’Carroll | 1 M.E.Sc 1 Ph.D. |
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| Reactive nanometals for NAPL remediation and the development of hot water flushing for the removal of viscous NAPLs from brownfield sites. | ||||
| Reactive nanometals for complex chlorinated hydrocarbon/metal waste groundwater cleanup | Private Foundation Gift: 100K | O’Carroll | M.E.Sc.
Ahmed Chowdhury PDF Hardiljeet Boparai |
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| The development of reactive nanometals for complex waste mixtures. | ||||
| Process Modelling for Source Area BioREmediation (SABRE) Project | UK Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council: 375K | Gerhard | Barry, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne also British Geological Survey, U. Sheffield, U. Birmingham, U. Toronto, Stanford U., and GE, Dupont, Shell, ICI, Honeywell, Geosyntec, Terra Systems, Archon Environmental, Acetate Products, and US EPA, UK EA | PDF Irina Kouznetsova |
| SABRE (Source Area BioREmediation) project is focused on determining if enhanced anaerobic bioremediation can result in effective and quantifiable treatment of chlorinated solvent DNAPL source areas. This 5-year, $5.7 million research and development project began in October 2004. The process modelling team, led by PIs Gerhard and Barry, is developing tools to increase understanding of the system behavior and investigate field system sensitivity to site conditions and design variables. | ||||
| Combustion of Hazardous Liquids in Porous Media | UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council: 240K | Gerhard | Torero, U. Edinburgh | PhD Paolo Pironi |
| This project examines the theoretical and reaction kinetics underpinnings of the innovative STAR (Self-sustaining Treatment for Active Remediation) technology. Utilizing detailed laboratory experiments and thermodynamic modelling, this research has demonstrated the new phenomenon of lquid smouldering combustion in porous media. | ||||
| Feasibility Study of In Situ STAR Technology | Ontario Centres of Excellence INTERACT: 13.5K | Gerhard | Geosyntec Consultants Ltd | |
| This collaboration focuses on exploring the market and feasibility of commercializing and deploying the new STAR remediation technology in the North American marketplace. | ||||
| Development and application of a discrete fracture reactive transport numerical model | US Dept. of Defense Environmental Security Technology Certification Program: 125K | Gerhard | B.H. Kueper, Queen’s university Geosyntec Consultants Ltd |
PhD TiWee Pang |
| This project involves expanding the DNAPL3D-RX multiphase numerical model to fractured rock domains and simulating the effectiveness of chemical oxidation, surfactant flushing, and bioremediation in limestone, shale, granite, and sandstone scenarios. It is part of a larger ESTCP project focused on developing a Screening Tool for source zone remediation technologies in a variety of typical subsurface environments. | ||||
