Contact angle measurement system for environmental surface science research

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A Contact Angle Measurement system is requested for characterization of bacterial surfaces, oil-water interfaces, and porous media surfaces.  The characterization of these surfaces will allow development of strategies to improve the environmental quality at sites contaminated by oil pollution, or by pathogens and toxic nano-particle agents.  The Contact Angle Measurement system determines surface tension of various liquids and surface characteristics of solid surfaces from images of liquid drops on surfaces. The Contact Angle Measurement system will be used to support the collaborative research of two applicants.  A major research program, for which the instrument will be used, is aimed at developing strategies for rapid clean-up of petroleum-contaminated soils. The Contact Angle Measurement system will allow us to study the adhesion of various pollutant-degrading bacteria on oil-water interfaces.  The information will be used to determine how pollutant-degrading bacteria can be effectively delivered through groundwater to impacted areas of contaminated sites. The requested instrument will be used also to study the mobilization behaviour of oil spills in soils and aquifers under cold temperatures typical to Canada.   The Contact Angle Measurement system will be used to investigate the transport and retention of colloidal environmental contaminants such as manufactured nano-materials and waterborne pathogens in aquifer sands and soils, and in wastewater treatment systems. The presence of waterborne pathogens and parasites such as E. coli O157:H7, Cryptosporidium and of toxic metallic nano-particles in aquifers pose serious threats to public health. The requested equipment will allow us to characterize the surface properties of manufactured nano-particles and pathogenic bacteria and of soil particles or other surfaces to facilitate understanding of the environmental parameters that influence their transport.