{"links":{"self":"http://dataportal.arc.gov.au/NCGP/API/grants/DE260100277"},"data":{"type":"grant-details","id":"DE260100277","attributes":{"code":"DE260100277","administering-organisation":"Adelaide University","announcement-administering-organisation":"The University of Adelaide","scheme-name":"Discovery Early Career Researcher Award","grant-status":"Active","funding-commencement-year":2026,"years-funded":3,"project-start-date":"2026-01-01","anticipated-end-date":"2028-12-31","grant-summary":"Engineering Energy Channel Catalysts for Sustainable Water Purification. This project aims to design a galvanic cell-inspired electrocatalytic reactor with tailored functional carbon electrodes, enabling simultaneous removal of heavy metals and organic pollutants from real-world mining and smelting industrial effluents. Key innovations are expected in the rational design and optimisation of catalysts, the advancement of fundamental knowledge in carbon catalysis, and breakthroughs in green wastewater treatment. Successful implementation will enhance Australia’s long-term environmental sustainability by improving water quality while fostering technological advancements in advanced manufacturing for mining and smelting industries.","funding-current":534320.00,"funding-at-announcement":530079,"investigators-current":[{"title":"Dr","firstName":"Wei","familyName":"Ren","roleName":"Discovery Early Career Researcher Award","roleCode":"DECRA","isFellowship":true,"orcidIdentifier":"0000-0002-1299-0393 "}],"investigators-at-announcement":[{"title":"Dr","firstName":"Wei","familyName":"Ren","roleName":"Discovery Early Career Researcher Award","roleCode":"DECRA","isFellowship":true,"orcidIdentifier":"0000-0002-1299-0393 "}],"organisations-current":[{"organisationName":"Adelaide University","roleName":"Administering Organisation","state":"SA"}],"organisations-at-announcement":[{"organisationName":"The University of Adelaide","roleName":"Administering Organisation","state":"SA"}],"field-of-research":[{"isPrimary":true,"code":"4004","name":"Chemical Engineering","type":"FOR20"},{"isPrimary":false,"code":"400404","name":"Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion","type":"FOR20"},{"isPrimary":false,"code":"400408","name":"Reaction Engineering (Excl. Nuclear Reactions)","type":"FOR20"},{"isPrimary":false,"code":"401605","name":"Functional Materials","type":"FOR20"}],"socio-economic-objective":[{"code":"280110","name":"Expanding Knowledge In Engineering","type":"SEO20"},{"code":"280111","name":"Expanding Knowledge In the Environmental Sciences","type":"SEO20"}],"international-collaboration":["China (excludes SARs and Taiwan)","Denmark","Japan"],"lief-register":[],"achievement-summary":null,"national-interest-test-statement":"Australia, renowned for its abundant mineral resources and advanced smelting technologies, plays a pivotal role in the global mining and metals processing industry. According to the Department of Industry, Science, and Resources, Australia’s resource and energy exports are projected to reach $366 billion in the 2024-25 fiscal year, contributing around 13% of the nation's GDP. However, mining and smelting activities inevitably discharge heavy metals and organic pollutants, which pose serious environmental and health risks. \nTraditional technologies can remove these contaminants in safe, but their high costs present big challenges to cost-efficiency and sustainable development. This project aims to develop an innovative green technology for the simultaneous treatment of heavy metals and organic pollutants in water. The advances made will underpin and advance the knowledge base of nanoscience and environmental science to design advanced catalysts and customized reactors for industrial wastewater. \nThe outcomes of this project will be promoted will disseminate via public engagement (e.g. organising workshops, seminars and public talks), online platforms (e.g. Twitter, Facebook), open access publications and industry collaborations, which provide a cutting-edge protocol and smart solution to future challenges wastewater treatment industry of Australia. The feedback will be collected to further optimise the design of the research and presentation of results."}}}