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石油储量之一。在石油生产过程中会产生大量的油砂过程影响水(OSPW)，它是一种有毒有机和无机化合物的复杂碱性混合物。油砂公司被要求将产出的水储存在矿场周围的尾矿池中。通过选择适当的处理技术，可以克服与回收OSPW有关的问题。拟议的NSERC合作研究与开发(CRD)计划将在油砂尾矿废水处理领域进行全面的基础和应用研究，重点是从工艺基础和处理机制方面对高级氧化技术(AOPS)有深入的了解。基于纳米技术和氧化处理相结合的新型AOPS将被开发出来。还将研究AOPS在不同生态水平上对OSPW的毒性和副产品形成的影响。此外，当局会进行试验规模的研究，以评估拟议的机场营运计划在特定情况下的表现。拟议的CRD计划将导致开发具有成本效益的AOPS，以消除OSPW中的持久性污染物。此外，应用一套不同的生物测试方法来评估OSPW中存在的难降解化合物的毒性，将有助于更好地了解它们在环境中的去向和对人类健康的影响。作为CRD计划的结果，高素质的人员将接受多学科专业知识的培训，这将加强艾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.