Fact Sheet

June 30, 2008

ONTARIO’S 2009 BEST IN SCIENCE PROJECTS

The Ontario Ministry of the Environment is funding 16 environmental research projects this year, through its Best in Science program. The funding, worth about $1.7 million, supports professors and graduate students in conducting research on a variety of environment issues. The program was launched in 2005 and has provided $9 million to 106 research partnerships. 

Projects and recipients of 2009 grants

University of Windsor

Assessing Lake Simcoe food web contaminant dynamics under influence of multiple stressors
Lake Simcoe has a world-class fishery and is the most intensively fished inland lake in Ontario. The lake’s fish communities, however, are being affected by changes to the ecology of the lake, including, for example, the arrival of invasive species and the growth of aquatic plants in near-shore areas. In this study, researchers at the University of Windsor will develop a computer model to examine movement of contaminants in Lake Simcoe food webs. This information can be used to assess the impact of multiple stressors, like excessive phosphorus loading, on the fishery, and subsequently to develop ways to improve the fisheries of Lake Simcoe.

University of Western Ontario

Assessing the risk of organic contaminants at off-site receptors
Redevelopment of a contaminated site often requires clean-up of the property based on meeting generic standards developed by the province or standards developed by a property owner through site-specific risk assessment. This approach currently considers each property as the only potential point of impact to the environment and human health in the area, and sets compliance requirements at the property boundary. The goal of this project is to determine whether a reliable method could be developed to assess the risk posed over a broad industrial area that includes more than one contaminated site and base compliance requirements on potential off-site health and environmental effects. If successful, a longer-term outcome could include enhanced regulatory liability protection for innocent property owners and reduced costs for clean-up of contaminated sites.

University of Waterloo

Developing improved tools for mapping spatial and temporal variability in assessment of subsurface vapour intrusion to indoor air
Quantifying and eliminating risks associated with the redevelopment of previously contaminated sites includes assessment of the exposure pathways. Exposure pathways are the ways that people can be exposed to contamination such as breathing contaminated air, drinking contaminated water, or touching contaminated soil. Vapour intrusion is one exposure pathway – it is a way by which pollutants in soil or groundwater could get into indoor air.

Researchers at the University of Waterloo have developed a new technology for tracking vapour intrusion that has been tested in the laboratory. With their collaborators from the Netherlands, the University will test the technology under more practical conditions - Ontario sites currently under redevelopment.

University of Waterloo
Fleming College

Evaluation of biofilm growth and assessment of pathogen infiltration pathways in large diameter test holes
Four large diameter water holes - built at the Fleming College campus to mimic residential drinking water wells - will be used in this study to test the susceptibility of the holes to contamination by pathogens. The study will look into effects of hole design and seasonal variability. Its results can be used to improve the design of water wells and reduce their risk of contamination.

Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority
University of Guelph
University of Waterloo

Groundwater recharge and source water protection
Groundwater recharge is a process where water moves downward from surface water to groundwater. It is an important process for managing levels of groundwater that occurs both naturally through the water cycle and anthropologically where reclaimed water is routed to the subsurface. This project will evaluate methods for estimating rates for groundwater recharge and map areas where recharge occurs in Ontario.

University of Guelph

Implementation of a laboratory-based bioaccumulation method used to assess contaminated sites in Ontario
Persistent contaminants that have been released into the environment can accumulate in the sediment of rivers and lakes. These contaminants can subsequently be transferred from the sediment into aquatic life and further up the food chain through the processes of bioaccumulation and biomagnification. The assessment of bioaccumulation potential is needed to help identify and make decisions about the environmental risk posed by sites with potential to release contaminants to the environment.  Field methods for measuring bioaccumulation are available but are resource intensive. Researchers at the University of Guelph are developing a new method for assessing bioaccumulation. If successful, the method could provide an alternative, more cost-effective approach to identifying and prioritizing contaminated sites that require clean-up.

McMaster University

Development of rapid sample preparation methods for environmental contaminants
Current methods to characterize environmental samples for potential chemical contaminants can use large quantities of solvent in the process. This study will investigate the potential to adopt green chemistry methods which could eliminate the need for using large quantities of solvents. The technique is called solid phase analytical derivatization and would be used for the analysis of a broad range of contaminants in water samples.

Brock University

Examining the role of land-use factors on sources and inputs of current-use persistent organic contaminants to Ontario's aquatic environment
This project will examine the environmental pathways and fate of various persistent organic contaminants that originate from common household and industrial applications – including brominated flame retardants, perfluoroalkyl compounds, and other halogenated chemicals. Sediment samples from streams and rivers across southern Ontario will be analyzed for the chemicals to determine their amounts and relative trends on impacts to the environment from their use.

University of Ontario Institute of Technology
University of Western Ontario

Thermal sustainability and environmental impacts of low-temperature geothermal energy systems on groundwater and surface water resources in Ontario
This project will use computer models to investigate the potential environmental impact of groundsource systems.  Groundsource systems provide heating and cooling for buildings. They work by transferring heat from the earth to the building in the winter and doing the opposite in the summer for cooling. Interest in their installation is increasing due to their efficiency and renewable form of energy supply. Project outcomes could help inform the design and installation of such systems.

Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
University of Guelph

Evaluation of permeable pavements for stormwater management
This study will evaluate the strengths and limitations of three common types of pavements for their ability to manage runoff from rain or snow melt. The pavements will be evaluated with respect to their individual and relative capacity to reduce water runoff and improve the quality of infiltrated water by trapping contaminants.

University of Toronto

Perfluorinated chemicals, an emerging class of contaminants of concern, in Ontario sport fish
Perfluorinated alkyl compounds (PFCs) are chemicals that make common household materials resistant to water and stains. They are also used in fire-fighting foams. PFCs can be released to the environment, including source water, from use of the consumer products that contain them. One potential route of exposure to PFCs for humans is through consumption of contaminated fish. This project will evaluate levels and forms of PFCs in fish to estimate dietary exposures.

University of Toronto

Temporal trends of contaminants in Lake Erie fish
Chemical contaminants such as polychlorinated biphenyls can be persistent in the environment and have the potential to bioaccumulate through the food web into fish. Analyses for contaminants in aquatic life such as fish provide useful information on the quality of waters. In this study, researchers at the University of Toronto will conduct statistical analyses using existing data from fish tissue samples to examine the trends of environmental contaminants in Lake Erie fish.

Queen's University

Assessment of liner performance at a storage facility for polychlorinated biphenyls
Landfill sites typically have liners that are designed to prevent contaminants from leaking out of the landfills to soil and groundwater. The performance of a liner relies on its design and ability to retain its integrity. In this project, researchers at Queen’s University will study the performance of liners used in a hazardous waste storage facility that is being decommissioned. Key questions of the study include how the properties of the liner compare to past and current specifications, whether the liner retained its integrity and could it have met its expected lifetime. This project will provide information that can be used to improve the design of new liners.

Queen's University

Evaluating the applicability of soil washing for removing metal and organic contaminants from soil at an Ontario site
Researchers at Queen’s are partnering with technology vendors from the Netherlands in testing new soil-cleaning technologies for their effectiveness in removing toxins from excavated soils at a site in Ontario. The main principle behind the technologies is that soil consists of different sized fractions and many contaminants preferentially attach to the finer, organic fractions. By separating the soil fractions, the amount of soil requiring clean-up can be reduced and the amount of soil available for reuse is increased. The study will evaluate the environmental and economic feasibility of the soil washing methods being piloted.

University of Ottawa

The development of reverse osmosis, nanofiltration, and ultrafiltration membranes by filling the pores of electro-spun nanofiber membranes via plasma induced grafting of charged polymers
Researchers at the University of Ottawa and their partners at the University of Singapore have developed prototype membranes that can be used to filter ultrafine particles from water. Another benefit of this new technology is lowered operating costs for water treatment. Prior to scale-up of the membranes for commercial applications, a number of tests remain to be completed in order to enhance and characterize their properties. This project is one of a suite of studies currently underway aiming to improve the performance of the prototype membranes.

University of Calgary

Evaluation of effectiveness of disinfection strategies against Total Coliforms growing in in situ biofilms in Ontario drinking water systems
A biofilm is a structured community of microorganisms that grow in a way that they stick to surfaces, including the insides of water pipes. Biofilms can adversely affect water quality in different ways (e.g., changes in taste and odour, or corrosion of pipes). Though the microorganisms that make up biofilms are generally not harmful to human health, they can also serve as a home for other pathogens with potential to affect human health. This project being carried out in Ontario will investigate the characteristics of microorganisms derived from biofilms in drinking water systems. This preliminary study will provide information that could be used towards developing processes for dealing with growth of biofilms.

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Contacts:	Contact information for the general public:
John Karapita, Minister’s Office, 416-314-6736 Kate Jordan, Communications, 416-314-6666	ontario.ca/environment-news Disponible en français

 

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