Floating Wetland Treatments to Enhance Remediation (FLOWTER) Project

The IISD-Experimental Lakes Area is currently examining the effectiveness of minimally invasive shoreline methods for cleaning spilled oil. Non-invasive methods are needed to eliminate disturbance to sensitive riparian areas that occur with typical cleanup operations. Non-invasive methods protect sensitive shoreline habitats by minimizing physical contact and they can also speed oil removal after a spill and restore ecosystems more effectively. This project specifically seeks to enhance the capacity of naturally occurring microorganisms to degrade oil by optimizing the application of Engineered Floating Wetlands (EFWs) in near shore environments. Optimizing the effectiveness of this approach provides a real-world, genomics-enabled solution to a potential ecosystem threat that may be superior to other minimally invasive oil spill remediation methods being tested by the IISD-ELA program (i.e. shoreline washing, Monitored Natural Recovery, nutrient addition). TO BE CONT’D

Faculty Supervisor:

David B Levin;Mark Hanson;Valerie Langlois

Student:

Madeline Stanley;Sonya Michaleski;Aidan Guttormson;Jose Luis Rodriguez-Gil

Partner:

IISD Experimental Lakes Area Inc

Discipline:

Engineering - other

Sector:

University:

Program:

Accelerate