David Blowes

David Blowes develops improved techniques for the prediction, remediation and prevention of groundwater contamination, including metals, metalloids, pathogens, nutrients and emerging contaminants. He employs a wide range of tools including field investigations, laboratory experiments and mathematical modeling to understand the complex behaviour of these systems.

He leads the leads the Groundwater Geochemistry Remediation Group together with Carol Ptacek.

• Behaviour and transport of groundwater contamination, including metals, metalloids, pathogens, nutrients and emerging contaminants in groundwater

• Remediation technologies including permeable reactive barriers

• Monitoring techniques such as non-traditional stable isotopes

• Geochemical processes at mining wastes, including acid rock drainage

• Contamination & Remediation: Water, Soil

• Increasingly Complex Water Challenges

• Protection of Surface and Groundwater Resources

• Reactive transport modelling

• 1990, Doctorate Earth Sciences, University of Waterloo, Canada

• 1983, Master of Science Earth Sciences, University of Waterloo, Canada

• 1980, Bachelor of Science (BSc) Earth Sciences, University of Waterloo, Canada

• 2023 University Research Chair

• 2017 Fellow, Royal Society of Canada, Academy of Science

• 2016 Outstanding Performance Award, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo.

• 2015 NSERC Synergy Award for Innovation (Diavik Waste Rock Research Project)

• 2014 NSERC TERRE CREATE (Training toward Environmentally Responsible Resource Extraction)

• 2012 Outstanding Performance Award, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo

• 2006 Fellow, Geological Society of America

• 2006 Birdsall-Dreiss Distinguished Lectureship, Geological Society of America

• 2004 Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Visiting Scientist Award

• 2004 Canadian Institute for Mining and Metallurgy Distinguished Lecturer

• 2001 Ontario Distinguished Researcher Award

• 2001 Canada Research Chair in Groundwater Remediation

• 1999 Premiers Research Excellence Award

• 1999 Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)/Conference Board of Canada, Synergy Award

• 1990 W.B. Pearson Medal for Creativity in Ph.D. Studies, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo

• 1990 University of Waterloo Senate Award for Achievement in Graduate Studies

• American Geophysical Union

• Geological Society of America

• The Water Institute

• Waterloo Centre for Microbial Research (member)

• EARTH 459 - Chemical Hydrogeology
  • Taught in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2026
• EARTH 659 - Chemical Hydrogeology
  • Taught in 2026

* Only courses taught in the past 5 years are displayed.

• Budimir, F., Ptacek, C.J., Amos, R.T., & Blowes, D.W. 2026. Evaluating chromium isotope fractionation during the removal of hexavalent chromium by oak-based biochar under saturated flow conditions. Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances, 22: 101122. doi.org/10.1016/j.hazadv.2026.101122

• Bao, Z., Yuan, Y., Bain, J., Wilson, D., Ptacek, C.J., & Blowes, D.W. 2026. Using blasting-derived perchlorate and chloride for hydrological quantification in an abandoned mine waste-rock pile. ACS ES&T Water. doi: 10.1021/acsestwater.5c01152

• Ferrari, C., White, K.B., Ptacek, C.J., Blowes, D.W. 2026. Tracing arsenic and antimony in mining-impacted environments: New insights from antimony isotopes. Chemical Geology, 707: 123271. doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2026.123271

• Hilger, D.M., Blowes, D.W., Brookfield, A.E., Bain, J.G., Ptacek, C.J. (2025). Influence of mine dewatering-effluent cycling on arsenic loading in a gold mine tailings containment area. Water Resources Research, 61 (10). doi.org/10.1029/2024WR039686

• Atherton, C., Wilson, D., Holland, S.P., Raymond, K.E., Barsi, D.R., Zak, J., Smith, L., Sego, D.C., Amos, R.T., Paktunc, D., Ptacek, C.J., Blowes, D.W. 2025. Diavik Waste Rock Project: Post-emplacement investigation of sulfide weathering from a deconstructed experimental waste-rock pile. Applied Geochemistry. 181: 106293. doi: 10.1016/j.apgeochem.2025.106293

• Blowes, D.W., Ptacek, C.J., Baker, M., 1996. Treatment of wastewater. G.B. Patent 962338-7, filed November 11, 1996 (issued, 2000); Canada Patent 2,190,038, filed November 11, 1996; U.S. Patent 08,745,734, filed November 12, 1996 (issued, 1999).

• Blowes, D.W., Ptacek, C.J., 1996. System for treating contaminated groundwater. Continuation in part. U.S. Patent 5,514,279, filed October 27, 1994, issued May 7, 1996.

• Robertson, W.D., Blowes, D.W., Ptacek, C.J, 1994. Treatment of agricultural run-off. U.S. Patent 5,330,651 filed May 8, 1992, issued July 19, 1994; Canada Patent 2,068,283.

• Blowes, D.W., Ptacek, C.J., 1994. System for treating contaminated groundwater. U.S. Patent 5,362,394 filed March 3, 1992, issued Nov. 8, 1994; Canada patent 2,062,204, filed March 3, 1992, issued July 7, 1998; European Patent 92103559.8, filed March 2, 1992, allowed, January 2000 (U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden).

• Blowes, D.W., Ptacek, C.J., 1990. Treatment of mine tailings. U.K. patent 2,219,617 filed June 9, 1988, issued August 19, 1992; U.S. patent 4,990,031 filed June 7, 1989, issued February 5, 1991; Canada patent 1,327,027, filed June 7, 1989, issued February 15, 1994.

• February 17, 2015 Waterloo researchers among top in Canada
• July 4, 2014 Waterloo Science leads $1.65 million sustainable mineral extraction training program