Research

The ubiquitous release of chemicals from human activities poses risks to both human health and ecosystems, and exacerbates the increased pressure on water supplies posed by climate change and growing urban populations. Our research aims to address the impacts of anthropogenic contaminants on communities and the environment. We focus primarily on trace organic contaminants that are toxic to aquatic organisms and humans. Our approach includes developing treatment systems that remove contaminants from water (and stormwater, wastewater), investigating the formation of toxic transformation products, and assessing opportunities to reduce the use of toxic chemicals.

Our research methods include using sensitive analytical techniques, developing experimental methods to investigate chemical transformations, and collecting field samples to assess contaminant fate. We partner extensively with cities, communities, and government agencies to ensure our research prioritizes the needs of communities impacted by environmental pollution, and advances public health and sustainable ecosystems.

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Current Research Areas

Trace contaminants in stormwater, and treatment approaches in urban systems. In urban areas, stormwater runoff transports contaminants from roads and buildings to nearby aquatic ecosystems. The resulting mixture of chemical contaminants includes transformation products with poorly understood occurrence and fate that may contribute to urban runoff toxicity (e.g., the tire rubber-derived 6PPD-quinone, which is acutely toxic to coho salmon). Our group (and others) have shown that green infrastructure systems, such as bioretention cells, can remove some trace organic contaminants, while other compounds are only captured in systems with design modifications (e.g., soil amendments). Our group is investigating the formation and occurrence of tire rubber-derived transformation products in urban air and stormwater, as well as their fate in both green infrastructure (e.g., bioretention) and engineered “grey” treatment systems in order to mitigate the adverse effects of highly toxic compounds in road runoff.

Wastewater-derived compounds in the Strait of Georgia. Municipal wastewater treatment plants are typically not equipped to remove trace organic contaminants and there serve as point sources of these compounds to the environment. Our group is assessing the occurrence of wastewater-derived contaminants in the Strait of Georgia and their phototransformation in partnership with collaborators in oceanography.

PFAS in B.C. drinking water. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of toxic contaminants that have been widely found in drinking water due to their extensive use in industrial processes and consumer products. Health Canada has developed water quality objectives for several PFAS compounds, but these recommendations have not yet been adopted as enforceable regulations. To better understand the current risk posed to consumers of tap water in B.C. and the potential cost of enforcing PFAS drinking water regulations, our team assessed the occurrence of these compounds in tap water throughout the province.