Reference number : GC-2017-Q3-00080, amendment number : , agreement type : G, recipient legal name : Dambrowitz, Christopher (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology), recipient country : CA, recipient province : nan, recipient city : Alberta, recipient postal code : nan, program name english : Applied Research and Development Grants (<$75k), program name french : Subventions de recherche et développement appliquée (<75,000 $), program purpose english : Current approaches for tailings treatment, such as evaporation, freeze-thaw, polymer amendment, and_x000D_
centrifugation are high cost alternatives due to large areas required, time needed for drying and limitations with_x000D_
deposit depth. This project, led by three applied research centres at the Northern Alberta Institute of_x000D_
Technology (NAIT) in collaboration with Canada's Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA) and the Institute_x000D_
for Oil Sands Innovation (IOSI), aims to demonstrate a novel approach to simultaneously dewater, consolidate_x000D_
and remediate mature fine tailings (MFT) by (1) growing native boreal plant species that effectively germinate_x000D_
and/or establish and dewater MFT, and (2) enhancing native plant establishment by augmenting MFT with_x000D_
known consortia of indigenous bacteria with proven potential to promote plant growth, enhance nutrient_x000D_
cycling and degrade toxic hydrocarbon compounds. The study aims to overcome current barriers by using_x000D_
native woody and herbaceous boreal species with high evapotranspiration rates and proven potential to_x000D_
germinate and establish on MFT. Bacterial cultures capable of degrading specific organic compounds such as_x000D_
naphtha, and fix nitrogen to ammonium, will be isolated and enriched from MFT sources. The MFT will be_x000D_
inoculated with the bacterial cultures using biocompatible carriers. The selected boreal species will then be_x000D_
germinated and/or established on the inoculated MFT bioaugmenting indigenous bacteria, providing high_x000D_
remediation potential to the rhizosphere, where root exudates will further enhance their activity. The outcome_x000D_
will be a hospitable environment for plant growth and restoration of nutrient cycling pathways in the tailings._x000D_
The project will benefit the oil sands operators with an environmentally and economically viable approach to_x000D_
simultaneously stabilize and remediate tailings, thereby transforming tailing into a soil system capable of_x000D_
sustaining reclamation and reforestation efforts, and facilitating mine closure plans., program purpose french : Current approaches for tailings treatment, such as evaporation, freeze-thaw, polymer amendment, and_x000D_
centrifugation are high cost alternatives due to large areas required, time needed for drying and limitations with_x000D_
deposit depth. This project, led by three applied research centres at the Northern Alberta Institute of_x000D_
Technology (NAIT) in collaboration with Canada's Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA) and the Institute_x000D_
for Oil Sands Innovation (IOSI), aims to demonstrate a novel approach to simultaneously dewater, consolidate_x000D_
and remediate mature fine tailings (MFT) by (1) growing native boreal plant species that effectively germinate_x000D_
and/or establish and dewater MFT, and (2) enhancing native plant establishment by augmenting MFT with_x000D_
known consortia of indigenous bacteria with proven potential to promote plant growth, enhance nutrient_x000D_
cycling and degrade toxic hydrocarbon compounds. The study aims to overcome current barriers by using_x000D_
native woody and herbaceous boreal species with high evapotranspiration rates and proven potential to_x000D_
germinate and establish on MFT. Bacterial cultures capable of degrading specific organic compounds such as_x000D_
naphtha, and fix nitrogen to ammonium, will be isolated and enriched from MFT sources. The MFT will be_x000D_
inoculated with the bacterial cultures using biocompatible carriers. The selected boreal species will then be_x000D_
germinated and/or established on the inoculated MFT bioaugmenting indigenous bacteria, providing high_x000D_
remediation potential to the rhizosphere, where root exudates will further enhance their activity. The outcome_x000D_
will be a hospitable environment for plant growth and restoration of nutrient cycling pathways in the tailings._x000D_
The project will benefit the oil sands operators with an environmentally and economically viable approach to_x000D_
simultaneously stabilize and remediate tailings, thereby transforming tailing into a soil system capable of_x000D_
sustaining reclamation and reforestation efforts, and facilitating mine closure plans., agreement title english : Bugs and veggies as tailings management tools, agreement title french : Bugs and veggies as tailings management tools, agreement number : CARD2, agreement value : 149047.0, agreement start date : 2017-10-18, agreement end date : nan, description english : nan, description french : nan, expected results english : nan, expected results french : nan, additional information english : Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year (2017-2018 to 2019-2020)., additional information french : Subvention ou bourse octroyée s'appliquant à plus d'un exercice financier (2017-2018 à 2019-2020)., owner organization : nserc-crsng, owner organization title : Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada | Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada