Fate of trace organic contaminants in green infrastructure

Abstract:

Green infrastructure such as constructed wetlands and bioretention cells can eliminate some trace organic contaminants, though with variable efficiency. In this talk, I will focus on corrosion-inhibitor benzotriazole as a model contaminant. Through detailed characterization of its transfer and transformation mechanisms, we obtain new insights into the performance of green infrastructure. For example, benzotriazole adsorption in bioretention soil increases under cold climate conditions. In a full-scale field trial, we observed benzotriazole transformation by bacteria and plants. I will also present a novel application of Compound Specific Isotope Analysis to benzotriazole photolysis, and assess its strengths and limitations for the identification of contaminant transformation and reaction mechanisms.

Bio

Elodie Passeport is an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto, and Tier II Canada Research Chair in Environmental Engineering and Stable Isotopes. Dr Passeport is cross-appointed in the departments of Civil and Mineral Engineering, and Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry. Her research focuses on environmental remediation. Her group studies the fate and removal of contaminants in aquatic environments. In 2020, Elodie Passeport received the Ontario Early Researcher Award and the Early Career Teaching Award from the University of Toronto Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering.