April 1, 2009
Maintaining the Research and Development Tradition at AMEC Geomatrix
In 2006, AMEC launched an internal Research & Development (R&D) program, which annually funds projects to research, develop, and implement new, innovative technologies. Over 2007 and 2008, corporate funding in excess of $240,000 was awarded to 17 different R&D projects, covering a broad range of disciplines, markets and geography. This year, AMEC’s Technical Council selected 11 projects and committed corporate funding in the $100,000 to $150,000 range with nearly equal amounts of support from local or regional units and individuals.
AMEC Geomatrix staff were awarded four of the 2009 R&D projects, including:
Immobilization of Mercury Using Nanoparticles - Investigation of whether stabilized iron sulfide nanoparticles can effectively immobilize mercury in soil or sediment. Application of such a technology for mercury problems worldwide could potentially save billions of dollars while safeguarding public health. Researchers are Dawn Kaback, PhD and Bruce Wielinga, PhD of Denver, CO and Zhong Xiong, PhD of Oakland, CA.
Permeable Reactive Barrier Performance - Evaluation of the performance and predicted longevity of the first permeable reactive barrier (PRB) to be commerically installed in North America. The PRB was installed by Geomatrix in 1984 to treat chlorinated volatile organic compoounds. Researchers are Scott Warner and Chin Man Mok, PhD of Oakland, CA, Miao Zhang of Seattle, WA, and Bettina Longino, Ph.D. of Waterloo, Ont.
Subsurface Transport of Nanoparticles - Development of a simulation-based method for predicting the subsurface movement and final disposition of nanoparicles. Researchers are Chin Man Mok, PhD, Zhong Xiong, PhD and Peter Bennett of Oakland, CA and Miao Zhang of Seattle, WA.
Regulatory Compliance Assessment Software - Expansion of a regulatory compliance assessment software tool so that it can be used for virtually every environmental, health and safety audit performed in the U.S. The work would involve the addition of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency content to the tool, which already contains Occupational Safety & Health Administration content. Researchers are Tony Daus of Newport Beach, CA, Tim Reinhardt of Seattle, WA, Sean McGuigan of Westford, MA, and Kevin Jameson of Orlando, FL.
These recent awards represent AMEC Geomatrix’s ongoing commitment to research and development of innovative technologies. AMEC Geomatrix maintains professional relationships with top North American research institutions so we can provide our clients with the most recent, innovative, and leading edge techniques and solutions for their problems. Renowned research groups we work with include University of Toronto (U of T); Oregon Graduate Institute (OGI); University of California, Berkeley; University of Waterloo (U of W); and University of Minnesota. With U of T and OGI, we have been involved in specialized lab efforts related to major landfill projects in New Jersey and Oregon, respectively. At U of W, AMEC Geomatrix established a graduate-level scholarship at the Department of Earth Science, to support development of technologies for passive groundwater remediation. At the University of Minnesota, AMEC Geomatrix provides an annual Fellowship to a graduate student in the civil engineering department that funds graduate level research in water resources/civil engineering-related work.
AMEC Geomatrix is working with the State University of New York at Buffalo and Cornell University to determine the efficacy of various CO2 targets in central New York State (NYS) and address major concerns regarding CO2 sequestration in NYS. The results of this research will allow industry leaders to make informed decisions about where/how to sequester CO2.
Additionally, AMEC Geomatrix, as an industry partner, is working with researchers from the University of Waterloo, University of Guelph, Trent University, University of Toronto, and Wilfred Laurier University conducting an extensive five-year research program into the analysis, control, and fate of a whole host of emerging contaminants (pharmaceuticals, personal care products, endocrine disrupting substances, brominated fire retardants, pathogens, antibiotic resistant organisms, and nano-materials). The Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation awarded $4,800,000 to the team for this important research.
For more information, please contact:
Marion Thatch, FSMPS, CPSM
510.663.4128
marion.thatch@amec.com