Kanwartej (Kammy) S. Sra Ph.D. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering University of Waterloo Waterloo, Ontario Canada N2L 3G1

Email: ksra at the rate of engmail dot uwaterloo dot ca

About Me

I recently finished Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Waterloo with a specialization in Groundwater Remediation/Water Resources. I was supervised by Dr. Neil Thomson and Dr. Jim Barker . My research focussed on In Situ Chemical Oxidation (ISCO) of petroleum hydrocarbons (gasoline and diesel) and chlorinated solvents using persulfate including studies to understand persulfate interaction with aquifer materials.


I completed my Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, India in Chemical Engineering, followed by Master of Technology (M.Tech) in Process Engineering and Design at IIT Delhi, India. I then joined the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at University of Windsor, Canada and finished the degree of Master of Applied Sciences (M.A.Sc) focussing on ISCO chlorinated solvents in groundwater using permanganate.

Ph.D. Research

The research was primarily focused on evaluating the viability of persulfate as an oxidant for in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) applications in treatment of petroleum contaminated soil and groundwater. This research was composed of multi-scale investigations to determine the treatability of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs) and chlorinated solvents, and the overall persulfate loading requirements.

Bench and pilot-scale studies were undertaken to determine the fate and persistence of persulfate in wide a range of aquifer materials collected from sites across North America. At the bench-scale, batch and column tests were conducted and were analyzed to quantify persulfate degradation kinetics and to develop tools to predict kinetic parameters based on aquifer material properties. Pilot-scale investigations involving push-pull tests at CFB Borden were conducted to examine persulfate degradation at a scale more representative of field-scale heterogeneities. This multi-scale examination has identified aquifer material properties as controlling factors and has developed scale-up factors for robust and cost-effective bench-scale estimation of in situ persulfate degradation rates.

To effectively utilize persulfate oxidative potential, the newest proposed scheme of using peroxide to activate persulfate to sulfate free radicals was also evaluated at both the bench and pilot-scales. In this, chelated-ferrous, peroxide and alkaline conditions were examined as activators and their impact on oxidant stability. Further, effect of peroxide activation on persulfate persistence was also studied at the pilot-scale. The various oxidant and activator concentrations and helped in determining behavior of oxidant-activator systems for field-scale ISCO applications. The oxidant and activator dosing was employed in investigating bench-scale treatability of PHCs.

Bench-scale treatability of petroleum hydrocarbons (e.g., benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenens, trimethylbenzenes and naphthalene) by activated and unactivated persulfate was examined. Oxidation rates were determined for each treatment condition. This information was then utilized in assessing the treatability of a gasoline source zone contaminated with PHCs using persulfate. Oxidation of diesel contaminated soil and groundwater was conducted at a pilot-scale using activated persulfate. Novel oxidation performance methods were employed for estimation of persulfate efficiency and destruction of target organic compounds.

Isotopic fractionation factors during oxidation of selected chlorinated compounds by persulfate were determined through bench-scale investigations in collboration with Massimo Marchesi (University of Barcelona). These factors can be utilized as tools for predicting oxidation of organic compounds and thereby representing the overall oxidation efficiency in using persulfate.

Recent Work

1. Examine the interaction of persulfate with uncontaminated aquifer materials.

2. Evaluate the impact of activation of persulfate by peroxide, chelated Fe(II) and alkaline pH on persulfate stability in uncontaminated aquifer materials.

3. Examine the treatability of gasoline compounds using activated and unactivated persulfate at the bench-scale.

4. Investigate the treatability of gasoline and diesel source-zone at a pilot-scale.

Publications

• Sra, K.S., Thomson, N.R., Barker, J.F., 2010. Persistence of persulfate in uncontaminated aquifer materials. Environmental Science Technology, 44 (8), 3098–3104.

• Sra, K.S., 2010. Mobility enhancement of Mn oxide during permanganate oxidation of TCE. Ground Water Monitoring and Remediation, Accepted, In Press.

• Sra, K.S., Thomson, N.R., Barker, J.F., 2010a. Persulfate oxidation of gasoline. In preparation.

• Sra, K.S., Thomson, N.R., Barker, J.F., 2010. In situ gasoline source zone treatment using persulfate. In preparation.

• Sra, K.S., Thomson, N.R., Barker, J.F., 2010. Stability of activated persulfate in the presence of aquifer media, In preparation.

• Sra, K.S., Thomson, N.R., Barker, J.F., 2008 Fate of persulfate in uncontaminated aquifer materials, IAHS-AISH Publication, n 324, p 186-193, Groundwater Quality: Securing Groundwater Quality in Urban and Industrial Environments, GQ'07

• Sra, K. S., Whitney, Jessica J., Thomson, Neil R., Barker, Jim F., Persulfate decomposition kinetics in the presence of aquifer materials, Association for Environmental Health and Sciences - 22nd Annual International Conference on Contaminated Soils, Sediments and Water 2006, v 12, p 282-290

• O’Connell, M., N.R. Thomson, K. Sra, C. Bright, T. Treeratanaphitak, 2009. Optimizing solvent extraction and chemical oxidation of PCBs. Proceedings from the Fifth International Conference on Remediation of Contaminated Sediments, Jacksonville FL, Feb. 2-5.

• Sra, K., N.R. Thomson, J.F. Barker, 2008. In situ chemical oxidation of gasoline compounds using persulfate, Proceedings of the Petroleum Hydrocarbons and Organic Chemicals in Ground Water Conference, Houston, TX, Nov. 3-5.

Manuscripts

• Master's Thesis: Mobility Enhancement of MnO₂ Produced During Permanganate Oxidation of TCE by Polyphosphate. 2005. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Windsor, Canada.

• Master's Thesis: Catalytic Wet Oxidation of Phenol Using Cu₂O₃ as Catalyst in a Trickle Bed Reactor. 2002. Chemical Engineering, IIT Delhi, India.

Conferences

• Persulfate Treatment of Gasoline Range Organics, Sra, K.S., N.R. Thomson, and J.F. Barker, Groundwater Quality, Zurich, Switzerland, 2010

• Persulfate Treatment of Gasoline and Diesel Range Organics, 2010, >Sra, K.S., N.R. Thomson, and J.F. Barker, Battelle

• Use of Compound-Specific Istope Analysis (CSIA) for Assessing the Performance of In Situ Chemical Oxidation of Chlorinated Compounds, 2010, M. Marchesi, R. Aravena, N.Otero, A. Soler, Sra, K.S., N. Thomson, and S. Mancini., Battelle 2010

• Assessment of In Situ Chemical Oxidation (ISCO) performance for chlorinated solvents contaminated groundwater using stable carbon isotopes at laboratory and field scale.M. Marchesi, R. Aravena, N.Otero, A. Soler,>Sra, K.S., N. Thomson, and S. Mancini., Battelle 2010

• Persulfate Oxidation of a Gasoline Source Zone, Sra, K.S., N.R. Thomson, J.F. Barker, GeoCanada, Calgary, 2010

• Persulfate Oxidation of Gasoline Compounds, Sra, K.S., N.R. Thomson, J.F. Barker, Americana International Tradeshow and Conference, Montreal, 2009.

• Persulfate Oxidation of Gasoline Compounds, Sra, K.S., N.R. Thomson, J.F. Barker, American Geophyiscal Union General Assembly, Toronto, 2009

• Persistence of Activated Persulfate and Treatability of Gasoline Compounds, Sra, K.S., N.R. Thomson, and J.F. Barker, May 2008, First Annual Symposium for NAPLs Research and Groundwater Studies, London, Ontario, Canada.

• Persistence of Peroxide-Activated Persulfate,Sra, K.S., N.R. Thomson, and J.F. Barker, May 2008, Remediation of Chlorinated and Recalcitrant Compounds: Sixth International Conference (Battelle), Monterey, California, USA.

• Fate of Persulfate in Uncontaminated Aquifer Materials, Sra, K.S., N.R. Thomson, and J.F. Barker, September 2007, The Fifth International Conference on Oxidation and Reduction Technologies for In Situ Treatment of Soil and Groundwater, Niagara Falls, USA.

• In Situ Chemical Oxidation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons: Development of Persulfate as an Oxidant, Sra, K.S., N.R. Thomson, and J.F. Barker, September 2007, Hydrocarbon Summit, University of Waterloo, Canada.

• Persulfate Decomposition Kinetics in the Presence of Aquifer Materials, Sra, K.S., N.R. Thomson, and J.F. Barker, October 2006, The Annual International Conference on Soils, Sediments and Water, University of Massachussetts, USA.

• In Situ Chemical Oxidation of Oxygenates by Persulfate: Oxidant Interactions with Aquifer Materials, Sra, K.S., N.R. Thomson, and J.F. Barker, June 2006, Hydrocarbon Summit, University of Waterloo, Canada.

• In Situ Chemical Oxidation of Petroluem Hydrocarbons: A Focus on Persulfate Oxidation of MTBE and Ethanol, Sra, K.S., N.R. Thomson, and J.F. Barker, November 2005, Hydrocarbon Summit, University of Waterloo, Canada.

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  Resumé

  • Short Resumé (last modified in Sept 2010). Please mail, if you want the latest copy.

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  Courses Taught

  Winter 2009 Water Quality - CIVE375

  Relevant Course Work

  Spring 2007 @UWaterloo
  • EARTH 621: Aqueous Geochemistry Dr. Eric Reardon
  Fall 2006 @UWaterloo
  • CivE 671: Aquatic Chemistry Dr. Susan Andrews
  Spring 2006 @UWaterloo
  • EARTH 634: Geomechanics - In Situ Processes Dr. Maurice Dusseault
  • EARTH 671: Field Methods in Hydrogeology Various
  Winter 2006 @UWaterloo
  • CivE 770: Contaminant Transport Dr. Neil Thomson
  • CHE 622: Statistics in Engineering Dr. Tom Duever
  Winter 2006 @UWaterloo
  • CivE 676: Case Studies in Groundwater Management Dr. Jon Sykes
  • EARTH 650: Porous Media Dr. Andre Unger
  • EARTH 657: Organic Contaminants Dr. Jim Barker

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  Random Stuff

  
  Activities
• My first love has been SPORTS. In Waterloo, I regularly play the intramural league. I have also been a part of a Slo-Pitch and Volleyball teams. I play squash regularly and won the Black Knight Squash tournament in March 2007. I also enjoy playing Cricket, Badminton, Volleyball, Field Hockey and Table Tennis.
  
• I like to TRAVEL around as much as I can, given the time and the resources. Some interesting places that I have been to include: Australia (Perth, Fremantle, Melbourne), Egypt (Cairo, Luxor), England (London, Cardiff/Wales, Lake District, Brighton, Stonehenge) Netherlands (Eindhoven, Amsterdam), USA (Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, Florida Keys), India (Ranthambore, Sariska, Rohtang Pass)
  
• Any other free time is usually well spent with friends and board games: Ticket to ride, Settlers of Catan, San Juan, Alhambra, Carcasonne, Pictionary, Taboo etc.
  
• I try to keep my hands full with some good PUNJABI (my mother tongue) literature. I am an avid fan of Babu Rajab Ali's writings. Apart from reading this stuff, I spend time listening to his literary work (kavishri) and the great punjabi singers: Gurdas Mann, Mohd. Sadiq, Kuldeep Manak etc. Vintage bollywood is also among the favourites when it comes to MUSIC. For me Mohd. Rafi was the best singer ever .. just can't have enough listening to his songs.
  Last Updated: June 8, 2010

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  Copyright © 2010 Kammy Sra, CEE, UWaterloo, Canada.