Innovative hybrid bioremediation and desalination for hydrocarbon- and salt- contaminated soils and groundwater

碳氢化合物资源仍然是不可或缺的能源来源，也是推动加拿大经济增长的核心要素之一。然而，油气资源的集约化开采给周边土壤和地下水资源带来了环境风险。许多油田同时受到碳氢化合物（有机）和共萃取盐和/或金属（无机）的影响，加拿大油田（包括北部油田）的混合污染是一个紧迫的环境问题，由于多种具有挑战性的条件，修复成本过高。与帝国石油公司和PINTER & Associates合作，Wonjae Chang博士（首席研究员）和他的研究团队将专注于混合生物修复和海水淡化（HBD）技术，专门用于在环境挑战条件下混合有机和无机污染物。我们的目标是协同结合生物和物理化学修复过程，从受影响的土壤、含盐渗滤液和地下水中去除碳氢化合物、Na+和Cl-（以及其他对环境重要的阴离子）。HDB工艺的两个关键要素是：(1)能够在海水淡化过程中降解碳氢化合物的耐盐、耐冷细菌；(2)能够轻易将盐阳离子和阴离子纳入其矿物框架的天然和工程矿物。HBD过程是一个创新的概念，将广泛促进专门用于混合污染的修复技术的发展。这项研究处于加拿大可持续发展和环境创新的前沿。这将有利于公共安全和加拿大能源的环境可持续性。这项研究将有助于满足加拿大今天的需求，并将成为加拿大未来的高影响力研究领域。

Hydrocarbon-based resources are still indispensable sources of energy and one of the core elements driving economic growth in Canada. However, the intensified extraction of hydrocarbon energy resources is posing environmental risks to surrounding soil and groundwater resources. Numerous oilfield sites are impacted simultaneously by hydrocarbons (organic) and co-extracted salts and/or metals (inorganic), and mixed contamination at Canadian sites, including northern sites, is a pressing environmental concern for which the costs of remediation are prohibitively increased by multiple challenging conditions. In collaboration with Imperial Oil and PINTER & Associates, Dr. Wonjae Chang (Principal Investigator) and his research team will focus on hybrid bioremediation and desalination (HBD) technologies specialized for mixed organic and inorganic contaminants in environmentally challenging conditions. We aim to synergistically combine biological and physicochemical remediation processes for the removal of hydrocarbons, Na+ and Cl- (and other environmentally significant anions) from impacted soils, saline leachate and groundwater. The two key elements of the HDB process are (1) native, halotolerant, cold-adapted bacteria capable of degrading hydrocarbons during desalination, and (2) natural and engineered minerals that can readily incorporate salt cations and anions into their mineral frameworks. The HBD process is an innovative concept that will broadly foster the development of remediation technologies specialized for mixed contamination. This research is on the frontline of Canada's innovation for sustainable development and the environment. It will be beneficial to public safety and the environmental sustainability of Canadian energy. This research will contribute to meeting Canada's needs today and will become a high-impact research field for Canada's future.