Applied Research Type: Environmental

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A big problem for Little Harbour

In picturesque Little Harbour, Nova Scotia, the livelihoods and pastimes of residents are inextricably linked to the water. More than 650 permanent and seasonal homes, along with six commercial shellfish harvesting areas, lie along Little Harbour’s 31.5 kilometres of shoreline.

But the beauty and prosperity of the area is being undermined by water contamination levels in the harbor, which have been on the rise for some years. The main contaminant is fecal coliform—the bacteria found in feces, and one that can accumulate in shellfish tissue. The presence of fecal coliform and the disease-causing pathogens it can contain has had an impact on both recreational and aquaculture sites around Little Harbour — two of Little Harbour’s six shellfish-growing areas are under restrictions that require costly additional steps to ensure the product is safe for consumption.

It’s believed two factors are to blame for the degradation of Little Harbour’s water — more houses that rely on residential septic fields are being built in the area, and precipitation patterns that are changing. The combination has increased the number of land-based contaminants being flushed into the water.

In August of 2016, Nova Scotia Community College’s Applied Geomatics Research Group partnered with AquaDelights Seafood Inc. and the Aquaculture Association of Nova Scotia to investigate the sources and circulation patterns of the bacterial contamination.

They began by modelling water circulation patterns; results showed that many bacteria particles released into Little Harbour were transported only a few meters from their points of origin. They also discovered the changing tide left low concentrations of contaminates settling along the shorelines and increasing the mean fecal coliform count.

The work included a spatial and statistical analysis of 25 years of water quality data and gathered integrated underwater mapping data and aerial photographs of Little Harbour.

Once the work was completed, the information was shared with the community to influence future actions and encourage remediation of sources of contamination. Most Little Harbour residents were aware of the environmental impact of septic runoff in general, but many believed the tide cycle carried contaminants out to sea, and only learned that was not true from this project. As a result, this research stimulated interest in remediating sources of contamination, and increased local understanding that deteriorating water quality is a hindrance to both environmental and economic health.

Since the conclusion of NSCC’s research in November 2016, the community of Little Harbour has formed the Community Watershed Management Group to spearhead necessary changes and improve water quality in the area.

“The Little Harbour water monitoring project is an important first step in understanding and communicating the need to work with coastal communities to provide the research that will pave the way forward for a brighter future,” said Tom Smith, executive director of the Aquaculture Association of Nova Scotia.

Funded by: College and Community Innovation Program, Engage Grant, NSERC

About Nova Scotia Community College

Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) is committed to building Nova Scotia’s economy and quality of life through education and innovation, transforming Nova Scotia one learner... Learn more
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Repairing the riparian area — riverbank rejuvenation in Vermilion

Lakeland College’s Vermilion campus was founded in 1913 as an agricultural school and is surrounded by land used for studying and researching farming. In addition to space for farming and grazing, the fields contain wetlands which, with growing recognition of their importance in the overall health of the environment, are increasingly the subject of research themselves.

That’s because riparian (literally, river bank) areas provide habitat for wildlife, have an important role in protecting water quality and limit the damage caused by floods. But the banks of wetlands and rivers are often badly degraded — by animals seeking water and by how the adjacent land is used.

An assessment done before research started recommended fencing several wetlands to keep cattle off and let the riparian areas return to their natural state. However, only one wetland, a dugout, was fenced (water was provided for the cattle elsewhere). Instead, the college is aiming to develop a collaborative, sustainable and realistic approach to improving the overall health of college wetlands, in the belief many small improvements will lead to positive changes.

Research on college property began with making inventories of wetland plant species and a project measuring water quality.

In a related project, researchers are also reassessing a fenced off riparian area in Vermilion Provincial Park, to assess whether the fences have improved the health of the riparian area (which had been degraded by livestock). They have developed a set of protocols to use in the reassessment and in future monitoring. Students involved in the project focused on studying the amount of biomass produced in the area through assessments of grazing cages that had been set up for three years before the fences were built.

In the future, students may be involved in yearly assessments of the riparian areas within the fences.

Funded by: Innovation Enhancement (IE) Grant

About Lakeland College

All colleges say they are educating the leaders of tomorrow. At Lakeland College in Alberta, our students are leading today. Students have the opportunity to... Learn more
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What goes around (water) comes around (as heat)

In February 2015, Lakeland College opened the doors of its new Bio-Energy Centre. The building features a micro cogeneration unit built by Yanmar Energy Systems Co. Ltd. of Japan. The cogen unit uses an engine fueled by natural gas to generate electricity; at the same time, water is heated by the engine’s warmth. Heat from the engine’s water jacket and exhaust is collected through heat exchangers and used to provide base heat to the centre. The Yanmar unit is rated to simultaneously produce 10 kW of electricity and 16.8 kW of heat.

The cogen starts up automatically when the building needs heat and begins to generate electricity; any electricity not used in the building is exported to the Lakeland College grid for use at the main campus. Electricity generated from the cogen is generally less expensive than purchasing grid electricity because natural gas is much less expensive than electricity — according to the Government of Alberta’s Utilities Consumer website, the average cost of electricity in 2014 was $0.0764/kWh, which is equivalent to $21.22 per gigajoule. The average price for natural gas over the same period was $4.51 per gigajoule, less than a quarter the cost.

Because the cogen is so efficient, Lakeland anticipated heating the building for free; researchers were monitoring results to determine if that were true.

About Lakeland College

All colleges say they are educating the leaders of tomorrow. At Lakeland College in Alberta, our students are leading today. Students have the opportunity to... Learn more
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Focused on power: researching a bright new way to use the sun’s energy

Focusing energy increases productivity: it’s true for people, so no surprise it’s true for the sun, as a unique device called a solar concentrator demonstrates. Lakeland College’s Centre for Sustainable Innovation site is now home to a solar concentrator prototype, which can concentrate the sun’s energy to temperatures in excess of 2,000 °C, hot enough to melt metal.

The concentrator works by reflecting the sun’s light from one mirror to a curved mirror, which in turn concentrates the light into a focused circular beam aimed at a target. Controlling and directing the beam is done by tilting the mirrors and adjusting the vertical and horizontal position of the target for maximum effect. The concentrator uses solar-tracking sensors and two motors to follow the sun.

Work being done with the concentrator includes Lakeland researchers making various types of targets to evaluate their performance on different industrial tasks, such as drying materials or heating liquids and gases. The first target tested was for heating water; it consisted of a metal plate covered in coiled copper tubing, which intercepted the concentrated sunlight at its focal point. The temperature of water flowing through the tube could be raised from 15° C to upwards of 70° C in a matter of seconds.

When it’s concentrated, solar energy can reach the high temperatures required by some industrial processes, which opens many more opportunities for harnessing the sun’s power. Testing will continue on exploring potential uses for concentrated sunlight.

About Lakeland College

All colleges say they are educating the leaders of tomorrow. At Lakeland College in Alberta, our students are leading today. Students have the opportunity to... Learn more
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A barren patch of ground becomes a place to grow knowledge

Exposed soil — whether it’s left unprotected by farming, construction or industrial activity — has an increased risk of eroding. The environmental impact of erosion can include loss of farmland, sedimentation of waterways, reduced air quality, and, in severe cases, total abandonment of the land for any productive purpose.

However, there are methods available to temporarily control erosion and minimize its environmental impact during construction and until permanent ground cover can be re-established.

Lakeland College’s Centre for Sustainable Innovation became a candidate for temporary erosion control when a section of its grounds was left bare after a gasifier and solar concentrator were installed. That gave students from the Environmental Conservation and Reclamation program a chance to put what they were learning into practice.

The students were asked to develop an erosion-control strategy for the site. They decided to seed the land with a native seed mix before installing temporary erosion-control matting to protect against erosion while the seeds germinated and grew.

Matting was chosen because the site was small, it’s easy to install and affordable. However, the students took the opportunity to use the site to test and compare three types of matting with different lifespans — wood fibre, which lasts 12 months, straw, which lasts 18-24 months, and coconut fibre which persists for more than 36 months. The question was whether a more persistent mat would influence regrowth on the site; students continue to evaluate and report on that experiment.

Funded by: College and Community Innovation Program, Innovation Enhancement (IE) Grant, NSERC

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All colleges say they are educating the leaders of tomorrow. At Lakeland College in Alberta, our students are leading today. Students have the opportunity to... Learn more
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Floating islands — first responders in water reuse

Too much of anything can be bad, we’re told, and it’s certainly true of nutrients in water. Too many nutrients in rivers, lakes and ponds — often the result of runoff from nearby fields, towns and cities — can over-stimulate the growth of water plants, which in turn choke off oxygen and kill water creatures. The process is known as eutrophication.

Lakeland College’s Centre for Sustainable Innovation is looking at the possibility of reducing the dangers of eutrophication by taking nutrients right out of the water, through an innovative method known as “floating islands.”

This spring, the centre’s pond was divided in two with a lake divider curtain — a piece of research equipment made of durable plastic. The top contains Styrofoam and floats on the water surface, while the bottom is weighted with chain and sinks into the sediment at the bottom of a water body, effectively dividing it in two. On each side of the curtain, a floating island was launched. Floating islands are artificial islands, strong enough to support a mix of wetland plants; installed on a eutrophied body of water, they act as natural wetlands, filtering nutrients from water.

Lakeland’s experiment compared the efficiency of floating islands at removing agricultural nutrients from water in two different scenarios. On one side of the pond, water circulated naturally, while on the other side circulation was boosted by a solar-powered submersible water pump.

Water was sampled weekly through the spring and summer and analyzed for ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, and phosphorous levels. Results of the work could lead to more widespread efforts to counter the eutrophication of ponds, rivers and lakes.

About Lakeland College

All colleges say they are educating the leaders of tomorrow. At Lakeland College in Alberta, our students are leading today. Students have the opportunity to... Learn more
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Settle down, now: Red River College helps develop an environmentally friendly dust suppressant

There are millions of kilometers of unpaved roads around the world, and the dust kicked up by the vehicles that drive on them is a major contributor to air pollution and levels of dust particles that can cause health and environmental issues. In one effort to combat that, Winnipeg-based Cypher Environmental Ltd. collaborated with faculty and students at Red River College to develop a dust suppressant.

The result was Dust Stop Municipal Blend, a non-corrosive and environmentally friendly alternative to road salts, such as magnesium chloride and calcium chloride. It also offers superior dust control. Municipal Blend incorporates sugars, which compete for water, making it less available to bind with soil molecules while providing some structural support and added road stability. Using the blend allows municipalities and other clients to reduce their overall environmental footprint while controlling dust.

Several students were engaged in the project, acquiring research skills while working alongside faculty and Cypher Environmental researchers.

“In terms of the innovation that we are doing, Cypher has a really great link with Red River College,” said the company’s president, Todd Burns. “We sort of have a deal on a handshake… It’s been phenomenal in terms of our ability to utilize resources that we don’t have in our small facility… It’s a great way to build on our capacity to do research and innovation and grow the business.”

Cypher commercialized Dust Stop immediately, opening a new production line and creating jobs in research, manufacturing and product application — including one filled by a Red River graduate who had worked on the project while at the college.

Industry: Environmental
Funded by: NSERC

About Red River College Polytechnic

Red River College (RRC) is Manitoba’s largest institute of applied learning. The institution is renowned for providing accessible, innovative, applied learning and research in an... Learn more
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Battling Arctic weather to test climate change monitoring equipment

Temperatures are warming in the Arctic much faster than in other parts of the planet, and are having a serious impact on Northern Canadian ways of life, roads, infrastructure and wildlife, to an extent unimagined in the south.

However, it is possible the North is a harbinger of things to come elsewhere and offers an early chance to learn about what climate change does, and perhaps how to mitigate its effects.
Furthermore, the arctic contains huge stores of greenhouse gases; the potential impact of their release is not well understood.

For all those reasons, tracking changes in arctic temperatures and understanding the release of greenhouse gases from tundra regions are key scientific challenges. But collecting data in the Arctic winter is fraught with difficulties including logistics, power, the resilience of equipment and resources in remote areas.

Researchers at Aurora College in Yellowknife worked on a project to test and develop equipment capable of monitoring climate change (specifically carbon dioxide gas, temperature and CO2 soil flux) in the difficult conditions of the Arctic tundra in summer and winter in Inuvik.

The researchers found that testing areas of low and high shrub on the tundra in summer led to significant fluctuation in CO2 in the ground, depending on temperature and vegetation cover; higher shrubs led to more fluctuation. At the Aurora Research Institute in Inuvik in the winter, sampling interval and the snow cover were found to have some impact on measurements. This information will be used to refine equipment for winter use.

Energy and Natural Resource Technician students from the college helped to dig out and make observations on equipment on a very cold (-35C) January day with little available sunlight. It was an opportunity for them to learn about climate change while using field equipment to take field measurements about the impact of snow cover on temperatures under snow pack. The work, made possible by a grant from NSERC, gave students an invaluable opportunity to see firsthand how scientific experiments are conducted.

Aurora College researchers are working with Eosense Inc., an environmental gas monitoring company, on a second stage project for a monitoring network across the Canadian North. This study will be very helpful as Eosense works on further development of winter testing equipment and understanding the issues and challenges of arctic monitoring. It will also enable scientists to more accurately measure the impact of greenhouse gases on climate change.

Industry: Environmental
Partner(s): Eosense Inc.
Funded by: College and Community Innovation Program, Engage Grant, NSERC

About Aurora College

Aurora College has been providing education and training for Northerners for nearly 50 years. From its roots as a technical-vocational school operating out of Fort... Learn more
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Coming together to separate oil and water

After the BP oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico, it was clear to Mark, Stephen and Michael Neal that it was time to revive an oil-containment boom system (now called the XBOOM) invented by their parents.

The Neals and their company, The Canadian Floating Fence Corporation, approached researchers at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology’s Applied Research and Innovation Services department for help in refining the boom.

“Coming to SAIT was an amalgamation of great minds working together,” said Stephen Neal. “We had the basics and they maximized and improved upon it — and the results were startling.”

Environmental technologies researchers in the Applied Research department began with validation testing to verify the XBOOM did, indeed, have a 94-per-cent containment rate. Then the department’s design, testing and fabrication researchers furthered the prototype design, creating a unique spar-anchor system that can withstand wind, waves and water currents.

The XBOOM comprises a vertical support system and a composite filter barrier that can separate water and oil. It filters large and small floating objects, bitumen, crude oil and other water-borne debris. This versatile technology can contain hydrocarbon spills in rivers, lakes and oceans. It is designed to divert, redirect and ultimately contain effluent in preparation for skimming and recovery.

The XBOOM has been used by the City of Edmonton to mitigate algae in a park pond, to prepare it for hosting the 2015 ITU World Triathlon Series and by the James Smith Cree Nation to contain and absorb an oil spill in the Saskatchewan River. Farther from home, it was used in Trinidad and Tobago to remediate an oil spill and at a North Carolina power plant as an effluent river-control barrier.

The Canadian Floating Fence Corporation is committed to job creation, and is establishing a licensee to manufacture and market the XBOOM system in Australia, where one of the local government’s criteria for approval is guaranteed job creation. At home, Canadian Floating Fence is working to partner with an engineering firm and an Alberta-based First Nation to manufacture the XBOOM on the nation and bring 33 new jobs to indigenous workers.

Industry: Environmental

About SAIT

SAIT (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology) is a leader in action-based learning, delivering relevant, skill-oriented education. We offer two baccalaureate degrees, three applied degrees, 73... Learn more
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Cool work with hydrogen

A lot of effort has gone into discovering the holy grail of zero-emission fuel — and that’s where the promise of hydrogen comes in. A team from Centennial College, including Professor Md. Ali Tarique, innovation program manager Hassan Haji-Esmaeili and student researcher Harparampreet (“Preet”) Kaur are investigating hydrogen cooling solutions that would allow internal combustion engines to run on hydrogen. Because hydrogen extraction is labourious, their hypothesis is that small modifications to an internal combustion engine would be safer, more convenient and less expensive than producing hydrogen fuel cells.

Their specific challenge is to find a way to narrow the risk of the hydrogen igniting prematurely, which makes it resist the stroke of an engine piston. (The team has also looked at whether piston movement spurred by gas can be enhanced by pre-cooling the gas).

The Centennial team is using engineering software to model and simulate how hydrogen pressure and temperature can be reduced, and its energy density heightened. They are collaborating in the work with an industry partner, a Mississauga-based hybrid energy firm called Admira.

Preet Kaur, worked on the team as the co-op placement for her advanced diploma in energy systems engineering technology. Because her engineering background was not in green energy, she had to study hundreds of papers in preparation for her research. The team, she says, has established that temperature reduction is key to adapting hydrogen for internal combustion engines. The next step in the work will be hands-on development to see if there is a viable prospect for commercialization. As it stands now, hydrogen’s combustion properties limit its use. Kaur says her co-op experience has made her “very eager to do more research” in the area.

Industry: Environmental
Partner(s): Admira
Funded by: Emerging Technologies for a Carbo-constrained Environment

About Centennial College

Established in 1966, Centennial College is Ontario’s first public college primarily serving the eastern portion of the Greater Toronto Area through five campuses. It has... Learn more