Application of advanced oxidation processes for remediation and detoxification of oil sands tailings water

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The oil sands in Northern Alberta are one of the largest unconventional oil deposits in the world. The oil production process generates large volumes of oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) which is a complex, alkaline mixture of toxic organic and inorganic compounds. Oil sands companies are required to store produced water in tailings ponds around the mining sites. The problems associated with the reclamation of OSPW can be overcome through the selection of the appropriate treatment technologies. The proposed NSERC Collaborative Research and Development (CRD) Program will conduct a comprehensive fundamental and applied research in the area of oil sands tailings water treatment with a focus on a deep understanding of advanced oxidation technologies (AOPs) in terms of process fundamentals and treatment mechanisms. Novel AOPs based on the combination of nanotechnology and oxidative treatments will be developed. The impact of AOPs on the toxicity of OSPW at different ecological levels and on the by-product formation will also be investigated. Moreover, pilot-scale studies will be conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed AOPs under site-specific conditions. The proposed CRD Program will result in developing cost-effective AOPs to remove persistent contaminants from OSPW. In addition, the application of a set of different bioassays for the evaluation of toxicity of refractory compounds present in OSPW will lead to better understanding of their fate in the environment and impact on human health. As a result of this CRD Program, highly qualified personnel will be trained with multidisciplinary expertise that will strengthen Alberta's and Canada's capacities in wastewater treatment management.