涩里番

A Methodological Approach for a Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Phosphorus Adsorption Materials To Treat Drainage Runoff

Participant: Erik Barrett,听M.Sc., Bioresource Engineering听

Supervisor:听Prof. Chandra Madramootoo

Phosphorus (P) remains a major pollutant in agricultural cropping systems. Research is being conducted on methods of P reduction in agriculture. Edge of field treatment systems using sorption material are being investigated however, little is known about the environmental impacts of various sorption materials. A Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) and an investigation of end-of-life options (EOLs) for these systems are required to fully understand the impacts of future installations.

The objective of the LCA is to analyze and compare the environmental impacts of some promising P sorption materials to provide recommendations for their large-scale implementation. The scope of the analysis will be gate-to-grave from the acquisition of the sorption material to its fate at the chosen EOLs. Experimental modelling will be performed to support the LCA analyses and for providing LCA input data. Assessment categories include climate change, water use, eutrophication, eco-toxicity, and cost.

Advancing Pathogen Detection in Urban Recreational Waters: Spectrofluorophotometry Validated by Molecular Biology and Culture-Based Methods

Participant: Michelle Pelletier,听M.Sc, Civil Engineering

Supervisor:听Prof Stephanie K. Loeb

Untreated sewage discharge precipitates recreational waterborne illness, with 7.15 million US cases in 2014, culminating in 6,600 preventable fatalities from insufficient surveillance. Contemporary monitoring employs faecal indicator bacteria (FIB) and PCR; however, FIB proves temporally onerous while lacking viral specificity, and PCR demands considerable investment. This study evaluates Fluorescence Excitation Emission Matrix (FEEM) spectroscopy as cost-effective aquatic surveillance. FEEM facilitates precise characterisation of fluorescent proteins associated with anthropogenic faecal contamination, enabling organic matter profiling. To elucidate pathogenic composition, comparative assessment of FIB, PCR, and FEEM was undertaken. This represents the inaugural FEEM-digital PCR comparison. Sensitivity and specificity were evaluated against culture-based methods and microbial source tracking markers across sewage dilutions.

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Tuning the surface charge of cellulose super-bridging agents for improved robustness during wastewater treatment

Participant: Owen Armstrong,听PhD, Chemical Engineering

Supervisor: Prof.听Nathalie Tufenkji

Cellulose fiber super-bridging agents offer enhanced turbidity removal when used in conjunction with traditional coagulants and flocculants, however their chemical modification and performance under varying influent conditions remain unexplored. To this aid, recycled cellulose fibers are modified with quaternary amine groups, imparting a positive electrostatic charge that significantly improves their performance. Where conventional treatment (without fibers) reduces turbidity from 62 to 25 NTU, the addition of modified fibers lowers the effluent turbidity to 3 NTU. Influent pH, ionic strength, and turbidity are varied in controlled laboratory experiments. Modified fibers achieve turbidity below 5 NTU across all influent pHs (7-8.9) tested, whereas the conventional method is unable to reduce turbidity when pH exceeds 7.7. Finally, the use of a deep eutectic solvent for functionalization is explored as a sustainable alternative to conventional cellulose modification techniques.

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Desalination of Seawater for Remote Islands Using Natural Ocean Thermal Gradients to Drive Membrane Distillation

Participant: Pauline Sarr,听M.Sc.A. Bioresource Engineering: Environmental Engineering

Supervisor: Prof. Jonathan Maisonneuve

Water management is critical for remote islands, where freshwater is scarce and usually limited to rainfall or shallow lenses. This project explores a sustainable, low-energy alternative that uses natural ocean thermal gradients to drive direct-contact membrane distillation (DCMD). In American Samoa, surface waters reach ~30 掳C while deep waters can be ~5 掳C; this gradient drives the vapour pressure needed for the Membrane Distillation. The system uses a hydrophobic membrane to create a vapor pressure gradient between warm saline feedwater and cooled permeate. Water vapor passes through and condenses as ultra-pure freshwater leaving salts and impurities behind. The study is motivated by community input from Aunu鈥檜 Island, which highlighted an urgent need for reliable alternatives for freshwater supply. The work is a collaboration among interdisciplinary teams at Oakland University (Michigan) and 涩里番 (Qu茅bec), with ongoing outreach to stakeholders in American Samoa.

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Quantifying Water Vapor Residence Time: A Dynamical Constraint on the Response of the Global Water Cycle to Climate Change

Participant: Philippe Boulanger,听M. Sc., Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences

Supervisor: Prof.听Robert Fajber

One important uncertainty of climate change is the acceleration of the global water cycle. While the Clausius-Clapeyron equation predicts a 7% rise in atmospheric moisture per degree of warming, climate models suggest global precipitation only changes 1-3%/K (the hydrologic sensitivity). This discrepancy is explained by a 4-6% increase in water vapor residence time (WVRT). Typically, precipitation changes are used to calculate changes in WVRT. However, it is not obvious why precipitation should constrain WVRT, and not the other way around. In this work, we developed novel tracers for calculating WVRT in a climate model. The global WVRT and age of precipitation was 7.11 and 5.56 days respectively. WVRT increased by 5.11%/K and the age of precipitation increased by 3.91 %/K. We resolved the effects of the Hadley cell strengthening, and poleward shift/intensification of the mid-latitude eddies and storm tracks on the WVRT distribution.

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Community-Centered Approaches to Innovation for Sustainable Water Management in Regional Areas: Rwanda鈥檚 Volcano Community Resilience Project (VCRP)

Participant: Janet Akayenzi,听PhD, Renewable Resources

Supervisor:听Prof. Gordon Hickey

Climate change is intensifying water stress in Africa by reducing agricultural yields, disrupting livelihoods, and deepening gender and social inequalities (Fonjong et al., 2024). In Rwanda, projected increases in rainfall intensity and frequency heighten water-related risks (World Bank Group, 2021). Addressing these challenges requires bottom-up approaches that integrate local knowledge, cultural heritage, and Indigenous practices (Olaopa & Ayodele, 2021). This research explores how the concept of Regional Innovation Ecosystems can advance sustainable water management, particularly in regional contexts. By fostering multi-level innovation niches, spaces for experimentation, co-innovation, and co-learning, Water Innovation Ecosystems may generate decentralized, bottom-up solutions tailored to local hydrological, socio-economic, cultural, and environmental realities (Pigford et al., 2018; Seyfang & Haxeltine, 2012), contributing to water resilience and sustainable water management.

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The role of participatory methods in the process of modelling co-designed and nature-based solutions to flooding in Guyana

Participant: Cody Danaher,听PhD, Bioresource Engineering

Supervisor:听Prof. Jan Adamowski

Recognizing the limitations of conventional approaches in hydrology to integrate socio-economic and political factors in flood management, this study represents a first step in the holistic design of community-driven solutions to improve flood resilience in Guyana, a Caribbean country where over 90% of the population resides in low-lying coastal areas increasingly exposed to flooding due to rising sea levels and climate change. Working with community members in agricultural and urban contexts, participatory spatial mapping and stakeholder analysis exercises were conducted to better understand the perceived impacts, drivers and stakeholders involved in flooding in the study areas. Insights from this study, followed by future participatory activities, will inform the development of a sociohydrological system dynamics model (SDM) aimed at simulating the effectiveness of co-designed and nature-based solutions to improve flood resilience in an area of the world where it is needed most.

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Organic coating of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) to improve micronutrient uptake and translocation in plants

Participant: Danielle Herman,听PhD, Civil Engineering

Supervisor: Prof. Subhasis Ghoshal

Due to human population growth and impacts of climate change, technological advancements are needed to increase agricultural production. However, current practices are unsustainable. Commerical fertilizers contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, eutrophication, and contamination of drinking water sources. Foliar nanofertilization, the use of nano-sized carriers containing fertilizer nutrients applied to leaves, is a promising method for nutrient delivery in plants to improve growth with less environmental release of polluting fertilizers. Mesoporous silica nanoparticle (MSN) carriers are a good candidate due to their biocompatibility and durability. However, the translocation of MSNs away from dosed tissues and into areas of new growth needs improvement. Application of organic coatings can help achieve this, with initial results showing that sucrose-coating of ZnO@MSNs significantly improves zinc translocation in tomato plants.

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Out of Our Depth: The Social-Ecological Fit of American Eel (Anguilla rostrata) Conservation in Canada

Participant: Siena Margorian,听MSc, Renewable Resources

Supervisor:听Prof. Gordon Hickey

Social ecological systems describe the interdependent and reciprocal relationship between social factors and ecosystems. Social ecological fit is the matching between the social dimensions to the ecological needs of a particular ecosystem or phenomenon. The American eel (Anguilla rostrata) is ecologically important to many freshwater ecosystems across North America, is traditionally and culturally significant to many Indigenous communities, and elvers (young eels) make up an important fishery in Maritime Canada. The Canadian portion of American eel range is especially important for conservation as the eels in the Upper St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario are mostly large females who are the most fecund in the species鈥� range and contribute substantially to species-level fecundity. I will be presenting the preliminary findings of a policy analysis to determine the social ecological fit of American eel conservation and management policy Canada based on six dimensions: social, ecological, scale, spatial, vertical, and horizontal fit.

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Computational Modeling of Nanoencapsulated Agrochemical Release for Enhanced Agricultural Efficiency and Reduced Environmental Footprint

Participant: Aysa Hedayati Azar,听PhD, Candidate, Civil Engineering

Supervisor: Prof. Subhasis Ghoshal

Current application of agrochemicals often leads to significant environmental contamination. In response, nano-encapsulation has emerged as a promising solution to improve the delivery of agrochemicals. A key advantage of this approach is its ability to facilitate the controlled, slow release of encapsulated compounds, which improves efficiency, reduces the total amount of active ingredients needed, and minimizes environmental harm. Due to its biocompatibility, silica is one of the most promising materials for use as a nanocarrier. In this study, we developed a method to describe and predict the release of agrochemicals from porous hollow silica nanocapsules. This model incorporates the physicochemical properties of the agrochemicals and the nanocapsule's geometry. The importance of a predictive release model lies in its ability to guide the rational design of delivery systems, which ultimately enables the development of highly effective and sustainable agrochemical applications.

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Time and Space: How Cooling Tower Changes Impact Legionella Growth听

Participant: Elliston Vallarino Reyes,听PhD, Microbiology

Supervisor: Prof. Sebastien Faucher

Legionnaires鈥� Disease (LD) is caused by Legionella pneumophila (Lp). Cooling tower systems (CT) harbor microbiomes that support Lp growth, especially Lp hosts, making them a primary source of LD outbreaks. During summer, LD outbreaks and Lp detection in CTs increase; however, it remains unclear how the seasonal patterns of dynamic CT microbiomes and physicochemical parameters (PPs) impact Lp growth. Furthermore, CTs are large systems and can have intra-variabilities of PPs and water flow, creating distinct micro-environments across the CT system. In summer 2022, we sampled water from multiple sampling points of four CTs, measured PPs, quantified Lp, and sequenced the CT microbiomes. Microbiomes were CT-specific and dynamic, changing in response to chlorine and temperature variations. Site-specific hosts were key for Lp development. In addition, PPs at distal points within CTs behave differently from the rest of the system, creating micro-environments that can support Lp growth.

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The Characterization of Defected Hexagonal Boron Nitride and Its Photocatalytic Effect on PFAS Removal in Drinking Water

Participant: Megan Ethier,听Msc., Civil Engineering

Supervisor:听Prof. Stephanie Loeb

Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are of growing concern, as they pose adverse health effects and have been identified in drinking water sources. Photocatalysis proves to be a cost-effective PFAS destruction technology, as it often operates at lower energies than existing methods, and the catalyst can be recycled. Due to internal and edge defects present in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), the material can be classified as photocatalytically active. Herein, we aim to further understand the defect structure properties and surface chemistry of hBN in relation to PFAS destruction. Liquid-phase exfoliation (LPE), using water as a solvent, was employed to create defected hBN nanosheets. The nanosheets were characterized and their influence on PFOA destruction was examined. Future work is dedicated to observing hBN structure following UV exposure and investigating degradation byproducts. The outcome of this project will contribute towards a sustainable method to remove PFAS in drinking water.

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Vulnerability of Great Lakes shorelines to wave-induced erosion

Participant: Jeenu John,听PhD, Civil Engineering

Supervisor:听Prof. Laxmi Sushama

Climate change poses increasing risks to the Great Lakes鈥� coastal communities through shoreline erosion and inundation. To investigate these risks, an integrated assessment of wave-induced shoreline erosion for a high emission scenario is undertaken by coupling regional climate model simulations with spectral wave and cellular erosion models. Investigation of future climate-wave-erosion interactions suggests potential increases in erosion rates in the 0.12鈥�0.50 m yr鈦宦� range by the end of the century for the southern shores of Lake Superior and southeastern shores of Lakes Michigan, Huron, and Ontario, which are regions that have historically experienced relatively higher levels of erosion. These increases are primarily due to the projected increases in southwesterly wind magnitudes and reductions in lake ice cover yielding higher wave energy. By identifying vulnerability of shorelines to future erosion, this study provides useful information that can guide regional climate change adaptation strategies to protect coastal communities and infrastructure.

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Comprehensive analysis of the effects of sulfur and iron precursors on sulfidated nanoscale zerovalent iron (S-nZVI) for the dechlorination of various CHCs

Participant: Siyuan Mu,听PhD, Civil Engineering

Supervisor: Prof. Subhasis Ghoshal

The efficiency of sulfidated nanoscale zerovalent iron (S-nZVI) for the reductive dechlorination of chlorinated hydrocarbons (CHCs) depends strongly on the choice of synthesis precursors and the extent of sulfidation. Previous studies have reported contradictory optimal [S/Fe] ratios for the same CHC when different sulfur and iron precursors were used, raising questions about precursor effects on reactivity. In this study, we systematically compared the performance of S-nZVI synthesized from six precursor combinations of iron (Fe(II), Fe(III)) and sulfur (S2鈭�, S2O32鈭�, SO42鈭�) at [S/Fe] = 0.01 and 0.1. Batch experiments were conducted to evaluate the dechlorination of trichloroethene (TCE), 1,1,1-trichloroethane (1,1,1-TCA), and carbon tetrachloride (CT). Results revealed that Fe(II) with sulfide at [S/Fe] = 0.1 provided the highest reactivity for TCE and 1,1,1-TCA, whereas Fe(II) with sulfide at [S/Fe] = 0.01 was most effective for CT. These findings highlight the critical role of precursor selection in tailoring S-nZVI reactivity toward diverse CHCs.

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Pluvial flash flooding-related impacts on overpasses in the city of Montreal

Participant: Oveys Ziya Shamami,听PhD, Civil Engineering

Supervisor:听Prof.Laxmi Sushama

Extreme rainfall events are projected to intensify under climate change, leading to more frequent and severe pluvial flash floods in urban areas. The vulnerability of overpasses in the Montreal Island to pluvial flash flood-induced loads (hydrostatic, drag and debris loads) in current and future climates is investigated using high-resolution climate simulations, for various emission scenarios, coupled with two-dimensional hydrodynamic modeling, for 100-year storms of various sub-hourly durations. Results indicate future increases of 13鈥�31% in inundated areas, with shorter events producing the largest changes. Risk classification based on flood loads shows substantial increase in both high- and medium-risk overpasses in future climate, with the number of high-risk structures projected to increase by 17 to above 100% by the end of the century. These findings demonstrate that pluvial flash floods could significantly amplify infrastructure vulnerability, underscoring the need for climate change-informed infrastructure design and flood management strategies.

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Evaluating the Solar Inactivation of Enveloped and Non-Enveloped Bacteriophage using Biological Weighting Functions in Natural and Simulated Waters

Participant: Wang Yiding,听Postdoc, Civil Engineering

Supervisor: Prof.听Stephanie Loeb

Sunlight plays a crucial role in regulating the persistence of human pathogens in contaminated water sources, yet a comprehensive understanding and comparison of its inactivation efficiency for both nonenveloped and enveloped viruses is lacking. The study presented herein determines the biological weighting function for two bacteriophages commonly used as surrogates for human viruses, enveloped phi6 and nonenveloped MS2, using simulated sunlight and optical filters with a wavelength cutoff ranging between 280 and 395 nm. Inactivation experiments with varying concentrations of Suwannee River humic acid were conducted to understand the importance of the exogenous vs endogenous pathway. Laboratory studies were complemented with aquatic mesocosm experiments performed in a freshwater lake. This study is the first to report a BWF for any enveloped virus or surrogate. Results further elucidate the outsized heightened sensitivity of phi6 to exogenous inactivation, while the potential role of the envelope structure in the underlying mechanism is discussed.

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Mapping groundwater pathways in a deglaciating watershed

Participant: Eole Valence,听PhD, Earth and Planetary Sciences

Supervisor: Prof. Jeffrey McKenzie

Understanding water flow in mountain catchments is challenging due to steep topography, unstable terrain, and limited accessibility. In glacierized watershed, buried ice and permafrost act as impermeable layers that control groundwater flow and meltwater storage. Yet, quantifying buried ice volumes and their influence on hydrology remains difficult, particularly in deglaciating valleys where remote sensing is hindered by debris cover.

We applied a multi-method geophysical approach in a proglacial valley in Yukon, Canada, to characterize subsurface flow paths. ERT and active seismic helped differentiate buried ice from sediments, while drone-based ground-penetrating radar extended coverage beyond ground surveys and surface nuclear magnetic resonance detect groundwater path constrained by ice.

Our results demonstrate that combining complementary geophysical methods provides critical insights into how buried ice shapes groundwater pathways and meltwater storage. This approach advances the understanding of hydrological processes in glacial valleys and the role of hidden ice in mountain water resources.

Aluminum Nanoparticle Enhanced TiO2 Photocatalysis of Organic Pollutants under Solar Irradiation

Participant: Saadia Wasim,听PhD, Civil Engineering

Supervisor: Prof. Stephanie Loeb

Providing safe drinking water is increasingly challenging due to limited clean water supplies and inadequate treatment infrastructure in rural regions. Solar-driven processes offer a low-energy, sustainable route for water purification, but their adoption is limited by cost and scalability. Here, we report an optimized aluminum/titanium dioxide (Al/TiO2) plasmon-photocatalytic heterostructure designed to enhance sunlight-driven photocatalysis by tuning aluminum nanoparticle (Al-NP) size.

Al-NPs were synthesized via a bottom-up, organic solvent-based Schlenk line method and coupled with P25 TiO2. Unlike top-down approaches, this solution-based method provides scalability, high yield, crystallinity, and plasmonic quality. Cysteine (Cys) ligands stabilize the heterostructure in water, preventing aggregation and ensuring consistent photocatalytic activity. Compared to P25 TiO2, the Cys-stabilized Al/TiO2 system achieved a 60% improvement in organic micropollutant degradation under sunlight. Al-NP size was tuned using density gradient centrifugation, enabling study of size-dependent plasmonic effects.

The heterostructure was characterized by UV鈥揤is diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, TEM, dynamic light scattering, and positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy.

This study establishes a scalable, ligand-stabilized route for Al/TiO2 heterostructures with tunable plasmonic properties, offering a cost-effective strategy for decentralized water treatment in resource-limited settings.

Addressing Long-Term Durability Challenges of TiO2-Based Photocatalysts for Sustainable Textile Wastewater Treatment Applications

Participant: Mahmudul Hasan Khan Neon,听PhD, Civil Engineering

Supervisor: Prof.听Stephanie Loeb

Persistent organic dyes in textile effluents pose significant environmental and health risks, while conventional treatments often fail to achieve complete removal. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), particularly TiO鈧�-based photocatalysis, offer a sustainable solution; however, the limited durability of TiO鈧� under industrial conditions restricts large-scale application. This study investigates the long-term stability of commercial TiO鈧� (P25) under simulated photocatalytic textile wastewater (treatment) conditions over 28 days, replicating key operational parameters. Photocatalyst samples are periodically collected, with UV-B photocatalytic degradation tests used to identify the most deteriorated specimens. Sample selection is validated via Dynamic Light Scattering, Zeta Potential, and UV-Vis Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy. In the next phase, selected samples will undergo further characterization using Transmission Electron Microscopy and complementary techniques to reveal structural and surface changes responsible for photocatalytic activity loss. These insights are expected to guide the development of more durable TiO鈧� photocatalysts, advancing sustainable wastewater treatment and improving global water quality.

Oxygenation of flowing water with an elbow deflector: physical model

Participant: Pouria Rahmati,听PhD, Civil Engineering

Supervisor: Prof.听Susan Gaskin

Hydropower, an important renewable energy source for climate change mitigation, presents downstream environmental impacts, particularly regarding low dissolved oxygen levels. Draft tube aeration using an elbow deflector as a retrofit solution to increase dissolved oxygen levels downstream is investigated. An experimental rig was built to investigate air pocket and bubble dynamics, oxygenation rates, aspiration potential and energy loss in a vertical conduit, in which the buoyancy force and the water flow are co-directional, for a range of relative flow velocities (U/U0 = 0.54 鈥� 1, Re =1.4脳105-3脳105 ) and air-water void ratios (桅= 0 鈥� 4.4%). Increasing air flow rates results in larger bubbles, while increasing the water flow velocity results in a decrease in the bubble sizes shed from the air pocket. The oxygen transfer coefficient (kL a) represented by the Sherwood number increases linearly with relative water velocity and void ratio, due to smaller bubbles and increased surface area. Dimensional analysis is used to develop an equation expressing the Sherwood number as a function of Reynolds number (flow velocity) and air-water void ratio. Self-aspiration potential increases with velocity. Energy loss across the deflector increases with velocity and with air pocket formation. An increased understanding of the oxygenation processes in draft tube aeration techniques will lead to environmental benefits.

Combined Electrochemical and Ozonation Treatment of PFAS

Participant: Daniella Sargi,听PhD, Chemical Engineering

Supervisors: Prof.听Sasha Omanovic and Prof. Viviane Yargeau

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are among the most persistent and concerning water contaminants due to their strong C-F bonds and associated health risks. Destructive approaches have gained attention for their potential to degrade PFAS and minimize secondary waste. Among these methods, electrochemical degradation and ozonation are notable, though each has limitations: electrochemical treatment may generate toxic shorter-chain PFAS, while ozonation alone shows limited degradation efficiency. Combining these two methods could offer a promising strategy, yet no studies have reported PFAS degradation through this approach. Furthermore, most electrochemical studies on PFAS have focused on their anodic oxidative degradation, with limited attention to their reductive cathodic transformations. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the combined treatment compared to individual processes. It also examines electrodegradation in both oxidative and reductive modes independently, assessing PFAS degradation individually and in a selected PFAS mixture to provide new insights into advanced oxidation and reduction processes.

Development of a multifunctional hexagonal boron nitride photocatalyst and plasma-assisted photocatalysis for the degradation of per-and-polyfluoroalkyl substances

Participant: Gemma Di Placido,听PhD, Chemical Engineering

Supervisors:听Prof. Sylvain Coulombe and Prof. Stephanie Loeb

Photocatalysis has emerged as a compelling degradative technology given its effectiveness on several types of per-and-polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The photocatalytic process involves light interacting with a material to produce charge carriers that participate in surface oxidative and reductive reactions with the surrounding contaminant-containing solution. Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) has been explored as a photocatalyst for PFAS destruction, but its efficiency remains low. Targeted chemical modifications to the h-BN surface could enable interfacial interactions potentially improving contaminant adsorption, and controlling adsorption orientation, which is essential for effective oxidative attack. Furthermore, nonthermal plasma (NTP) processes have also been considered for water treatments that involve the degradation of PFAS. NTP strategies are advantageous by simultaneously generating in-situ reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species similar to those generated in the photodegradative process of PFAS. A two-step treatment process comprised of NTP-assisted photocatalysis will be explored as to create an enhanced PFAS degradation process.

Towards Climate-Resilient Agriculture: Hydrogel-Microbial Systems for Water Conservation

Participant: Mohammad Jamil Kaddoura,听PhD, Food Science

Supervisor: Prof. Saji George

Water scarcity threatens global food security, with agriculture consuming 70% of freshwater and losing up to 45% through inefficient irrigation. We are developing a biodegradable hydrogel-microbial composite to enhance water retention, nutrient delivery, and drought resilience. Beneficial bacteria with biostimulant and abiotic stress alleviating traits were characterized for auxin production, nutrient solubilization, and stress tolerance. Greenhouse trials showed significant improvements in plant growth, nutrient uptake, photosynthesis, CO鈧� fixation, and transpiration efficiency under drought conditions. A complementary study on bell peppers grown in loamy sand, demonstrated that hydrogel significantly improved soil moisture retention, reduced nutrient leaching, and boosted yield and biomass, with stronger effects after the first year and even greater when combined with lime or biochar. Taken together, these results suggest that combining beneficial bacteria with hydrogel could yield synergistic, long-term effects, offering a scalable. low-cost, biodegradable materials, this technology offers a holistic, scalable, sustainable solution for climate resilient agriculture.

Confluence and Effluence: Conflict and Collaboration in Transboundary Water Governance

Participant: Kiho Hazelton-Cook,听M.Sc., Renewable Resources

Supervisor:听Prof. Gordon Hickey

Water frequently crosses political boundaries, making it a transboundary resource that demands cooperation. Collaborative governance brings state and non-state actors together to pursue shared economic, social and environmental goals surrounding water. Research has identified key factors that foster effective collaborative governance: who participates and how, the motivation of partners, and their joint capacity for action. Less attention, however, has been given to why collaborative efforts fail to achieve their objectives, despite initial promise. This case study examines the Alberta鈥揗ontana Joint Initiative on the Sharing of Waters, a process created to explore options for rebalancing each party鈥檚 share of the water in the transboundary St. Mary鈥揗ilk River basin. Using qualitative methods such as media analysis and process tracing, it investigates the Initiative鈥檚 eventual dissolution after ten years without agreement, offering a critical opportunity to understand the mechanisms behind failure in collaborative water governance.

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Analysis of Filter Materials for Phosphorus Reduction from Agricultural Drainage Effluent

Participant: Tahmina Nasir Bushra, M.Sc., Bioresource Engineering

Supervisor: Prof. Chandra A Madramootoo

Phosphorus (P) from agricultural drainage systems is a major contributor to water bodies, causing excessive plant growth leading to eutrophication. To reduce the amount of P, researchers have been exploring various materials, including plant-based, industrial bi-products, whose P removal performance varies with the change of numerous bio-environmental factors. This analysis emphasized key factors such as inflow, material pH, initial P concentration, and adsorption versus precipitation capacity. Adsorptive materials such as steel slag, Fe-based media generally achieve higher and faster P removal than precipitation-based materials. Lab experiments showed higher P-removal efficiencies than field experiments reaching 99%. Industrial by-products demonstrated strong performance across wide pH range, while materials like ferric hydroxide (CFH) granules offer high efficiency and recyclability. Performance can be reduced by high alkalinity, larger grain sizes, and low inflow P concentrations.