Project Level:  Honours

We have spectral sensor probes in 56 rivers that discharge to the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) lagoon. Every fifteen minutes they each generate a spectra of the water passing the probe to estimate nitrate concentrations. In this project you will analyse the spectra and traditional laboratory-based measurements of pollutants (86 pesticides, suspended sediment and nine forms of nitrogen and phosphorus) to determine if there are statistically significant relationships that can accurately predict pollutant concentrations. If they are sufficiently accurate, they will be used to predict the concentrations of pollutants in waterways without pollutant data. Successful relationships would be of immense interest to the Queensland Department of Environment and Science and would be extremely useful in efforts to improve the quality of water entering the GBR lagoon. It is expected that the results will be publishable. There is a $5 000 scholarship associated with this project.

Relevant Fields:  Pollution Science, Water Quality, Predicting water quality, Water quality monitoring

Project members

Dr Alan Huang

Senior Lecturer
School of Mathematics and Physics