I have been awarded a Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) New Opportunities grant entitled Environment and Health: Groundwater and Soil Contamination, Processes, Pathways, and Remediation. The total budget (CFI/OIT/MAC) of $498,335 will be spent entirely on equipment and infrastructure in support of my new purpose-built Subsurface Contaminant Hydrology Laboratories. We moved into those adjoining labs in early 2000. This infrastructure provides superior research capabilities and opportunities. (pictures from http://www.sowacs.com/sensors/tdr.html)

The centre-piece of the lab is a HP GC/MS system with EI/CI capabilities and a 100 vial auto-sampler. That equipment provides the means to identify and measure the concentration of a large number of compounds in water, soil, and aquifer samples.

A research quality fully automatic, temperature controlled Lauda Drop Volume Tensiometer provides highly accurate and precise surface and interfacial tension measurements.

Two Dynamax "Vadose" 16-channel multiplexed TDR systems, and an ESI "Moisture Point" TDR mutliplexed system with four 120cm probes provide accurate automated monitoring of soil water contents in the lab or field.

A large synthetic aquifer physical model with fully automated Saturated/Unsaturated instrumentation controlled by LabView programs and National Instruments A/D boards will provide the means to conduct highly focused and controlled investigation. It will be similar to one built by my graduate students (Eric Henry and Mike Taylor) at the University of Arizona and pictured below.

Other equipment includes two stainless steel fumehoods, Millipore water purification system, neutron probe, permeameters, infiltrometers, pressure plate apparatus, Tempe cells, precision pumps, pressure transducers, dataloggers, water level tapes, balances, centrifuge, ovens,stirrers, etc.