Discovery and application of technologies to improve management of contaminated aquatic sites in Canada

发现和应用技术以改善加拿大受污染水生场所的管理

• 批准号: RGPIN-2018-04119
• 负责人: Walker, Tony
• 金额: $ 1.89万
• 依托单位: Dalhousie University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=712747
• 关键词: Discovery; application; technologies; improve; management

Many aquatic sites across Canada have been severely impacted by industrial activity resulting in legacy contamination, posing ecological risks to marine or freshwater ecosystems. Although academic literature is rich in sediment screening and ecological risk assessment technologies, many techniques are not applied in practice. Assessments at these sites, designed to inform management decisions (eg sediment dredging, disposal or remediation), vary widely and are often superficial with inconsistent protocols applied. This creates knowledge gaps and uncertainty related to magnitude and extent of contamination, raising serious concerns for custodians of aquatic sites on how to adequately manage environmental liability costs. Objectives of this research program are to identify major issues related to contaminated aquatic sites across Canada, improve management, reduce uncertainty, limit environmental liability costs and improve predictions of ecological risk. Short-term studies by my research group will include analysis of secondary datasets from aquatic sites across Canada that have been subject to contaminant inputs and develop new approaches for assessing contaminated aquatic sites currently undergoing monitoring or remediation. Long-term studies will be designed to enable technology and knowledge transfer to agencies responsible for managing contaminated aquatic sites. Partnerships have already been established with industrial partners (environmental consulting companies) and federal and provincial agencies (Transport Canada [TC], Fisheries and Oceans Canada [DFO], Nova Scotia Lands). For long-term studies, partnerships and agreements have already been established with provincial agencies and faculty across the Maritimes (eg the remediation of Boat Harbour, Nova Scotia which has been impacted by 50 years of pulp mill effluents). This research will engage researchers at several other Canadian universities and government agencies. Over the next 5 years, short-term goals of our research will develop preferred practices and techniques for characterizing contaminated aquatic sites across Canada. Our research will ensure approaches are followed that incorporate innovative tools alongside established frameworks for the benefit of aquatic site decision makers. Individual and overlapping studies will be developed by my research group, specifically geared toward Master's graduate students (5 thesis based and 5 interns), plus 1 PhD student, thus contributing to highly qualified personnel (HQP) training. Additionally, I will supervise undergraduate honours thesis students to support ongoing research, but no specific NSERC DG funds are requested for this. Long-term benefits of this research program will help a diverse group of stakeholders across Canada to remediate, restore and manage environmental and economic viability of these aquatic systems.

加拿大各地的许多水生场所受到工业活动的严重影响，造成遗留污染，对海洋或淡水生态系统构成生态风险。虽然学术文献中有丰富的沉积物筛选和生态风险评估技术，但许多技术并没有在实践中应用。在这些地点进行的评估旨在为管理决策提供信息（例如沉积物疏浚、处置或补救），但这些评估差异很大，而且往往是肤浅的，所采用的协议也不一致。这就造成了知识空白和与污染程度和范围有关的不确定性，引起了水生场所管理人对如何适当管理环境责任成本的严重关切。该研究计划的目标是确定与加拿大各地受污染的水生场所有关的主要问题，改善管理，减少不确定性，限制环境责任成本，提高生态风险的预测。我的研究小组的短期研究将包括分析来自加拿大各地的水生场所的二级数据集，这些场所受到污染物的输入，并开发新的方法来评估目前正在进行监测或补救的受污染水生场所。将设计长期研究，以便向负责管理受污染水生场所的机构转让技术和知识。已经与工业伙伴（环境咨询公司）以及联邦和省级机构（加拿大交通部、加拿大渔业和海洋部、新斯科舍省土地部）建立了伙伴关系。对于长期研究，已经与沿海地区的省级机构和教师建立了伙伴关系和协议（例如，新斯科舍省的船港修复工作，该工作已受到50年纸浆厂废水的影响）。这项研究将吸引加拿大其他几所大学和政府机构的研究人员参与。在接下来的5年里，我们的研究的短期目标将制定首选的做法和技术，以表征加拿大各地的受污染水生场所。我们的研究将确保遵循的方法，将创新工具与既定的框架结合起来，以使水生场地决策者受益。个人和重叠的研究将由我的研究小组开发，专门面向硕士研究生（5篇论文和5名实习生），加上1名博士生，从而有助于高素质人才（HQP）的培养。此外，我将监督本科生荣誉论文的学生，以支持正在进行的研究，但没有具体的NSERC DG资金要求这一点。这项研究计划的长期利益将有助于加拿大各地的利益相关者的不同群体，以补救，恢复和管理这些水生系统的环境和经济可行性。