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

阿尔伯塔省北部的油砂是世界上最大的非常规油田之一。采油过程中会产生大量油砂过程影响水（OSPW），这是一种有毒有机和无机化合物的复杂碱性混合物。油砂公司被要求将采出水储存在矿区周围的尾矿池中。通过选择适当的处理技术，可以克服与OSPW回收有关的问题。拟议的NSERC合作研究与开发（CRD）计划将在油砂尾矿水处理领域开展全面的基础和应用研究，重点是深入了解先进氧化技术（AOPs）的工艺基础和处理机制。将开发基于纳米技术和氧化处理相结合的新型aop。研究不同生态水平的AOPs对OSPW毒性及副产物形成的影响。此外，将进行小规模研究，以评估拟议的空中污水处理系统在特定地点条件下的表现。拟议的CRD计划将导致开发具有成本效益的AOPs，以去除OSPW中的持久性污染物。此外，应用一套不同的生物测定法来评价OSPW中存在的难熔化合物的毒性，将有助于更好地了解它们在环境中的命运和对人类健康的影响。通过这一CRD计划，高素质的人才将得到多学科专业知识的培训，这将加强阿尔伯塔省和加拿大在废水处理管理方面的能力。

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.