Neil R. Thomson, PhD, PEng

Dr. Thomson was a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering from 1987 until he retired in 2022. He served as the Director of the Soil and Groundwater Remediation Engineering Group and was member of the Environmental and Water Resources Engineering Research Group and The Water Institute at the University of Waterloo. Dr Thomson was Chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering from 2008 to 2016.

Dr. Thomson has over 38 years of research experience in the use of field investigations, laboratory experiments, and numerical models to explore subsurface contaminant fate and remediation issues. Recent research topics include emerging soil and groundwater remediation technologies, petroleum hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, chemical oxidants, functional nanoparticles, electrokinetics, high resolution monitoring, isotopes and biomarkers, delivery methods, site characterization, and physical model and comprehensive pilot-scale studies.

Between 2012 to 2020 Dr. Thomson was the Editor-in-Chief of Groundwater Monitoring & Remediation, a National Ground Water Association publication. In 2020 Dr. Thomson was honoured with the 2020 Keith E Anderson Award for scientists and engineers who make outstanding contributions to the National Ground Water Association.

Dr. Thomson taught numerous undergraduate and graduate courses including Fluid Mechanics, Water Quality Engineering, Advanced Mathematics, Hydrology, Environmental Chemistry, Contaminant Transport, Finite Element Methods, Soil and Groundwater Remediation Engineering, Numerical Methods for Environmental Applications, and Water Quality Management.

In 2018, 2014 and 2005 he received an Outstanding Performance Award from the University of Waterloo for outstanding performance in teaching and scholarship. In 2008 he was awarded the Faculty of Engineering Distinguished Performance Award for his outstanding contribution in teaching, scholarship and service. In 1999 he was awarded the Sir Sanford Fleming Teaching Excellence Award for recognition of an exemplary record of outstanding teaching, concern for students and a commitment to the development and enrichment of engineering education at Waterloo.

For the past 35 years Dr. Thomson has provided technical and strategic guidance on projects related to groundwater and soil remediation for numerous private clients, consulting firms and regulatory agencies in Canada, United States, England, Scotland, Wales, Sweden, Australia, Brazil, China, Mexico, and Argentina.

• Hydrogeology

• Groundwater and Soil Contamination

• Brownfields

• Contaminant Fate and Transport

• Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids

• Remediation Engineering

• Modelling

• Laboratory Experiments

• Pilot-Scale Investigations

• 1986, Doctorate PhD, University of Waterloo, Ontario

• 1982, Master's MASc, University of Toronto, Ontario

• 1981, Bachelor's BASc, University of Waterloo, Ontario

• 1999 Sir Sanford Fleming Teaching Excellence Award

• 2005 University of Waterloo Outstanding Performance Award

• 2008 Faculty of Engineering Distinguished Performance Award

• 2014 University of Waterloo Outstanding Performance Award

• 2018 University of Waterloo Outstanding Performance Award

• ENVE 573 - Contaminant Transport
  • Taught in 2021

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

• Ramezanzadeh, M., F. Rezanezhad, S. Slowinski, J. Ye, M. Vandergriendt, D.L. Rudolph, N.R. Thomson, P. Van Cappellen, 2025. Effects of water table fluctuations on naphthalene degradation: Soil column experiment and modelling. Submitted to Vadose Zone Journal.

• Gilak Hakimabadi, S., N. Jaberi, A. Awad, C. de Lannoy, P. Brodersen, N.R. Thomson, A. Pham, 2025. PFAS adsorption: A direct comparison between colloidal and powdered activated carbons from the same source materials. J Enviro Eng, in press.

• Thomson, N.R., M.C. Marley, 2025. Education corner: A quick look back at in situ air sparging. Groundwater Monit R, 45(2), 91-97. https://doi.org/10.1111/gwmr.12716

• Wei, Y., K.G. Mumford, N.R. Thomson, S. Li, G. Guo, T. Xia, P. Liu, 2025. The effect of sub-boiling temperatures on mass transfer from former manufactured gas plant residuals. J. Contam. Hydrol., 269, doi.org/10.1016/j.jconhyd.2025.104508.

• Cho, M.S., N.R. Thomson, 2024. The role of rotated potential mixing protocols on the behavior of a conservative reagent. Groundwater Monit R, 44, 86-100. doi.org/10.1111/gwmr.12648

• Pham, A., N.R. Thomson, M. Vanderkooy, G. Carey, B. Sleep, 2024. The present and potential future of in situ activated carbon PFAS remedies. 2024 Chlorinated Conference, Denver, CO., June 2-6, 2024.

• Veenkamp, C., B. Parker, F. Manna, P. Quinn, S. Chapman, N.R. Thomson, 2024. Field characterization of contaminant and oxidant interactions in a fractured dolostone aquifer using push-pull tests. 2024 Chlorinated Conference, Denver, CO., June 2-6, 2024.

• Alden, D.F., J. García-Rincón, M.O. Rivett, G.P. Wealthall, N.R. Thomson, 2024. Complexities of Petroleum Hydrocarbon Contaminated Sites. In Advances in the Characterisation and Remediation of Sites Contaminated with Petroleum Hydrocarbons. Eds. García-Rincón et al., Springer Nature, Chapter 1, pp 1-19. doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-34447-3

• Thomson, N.R., 2024. In Situ Chemical Oxidation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons. In Advances in the Characterisation and Remediation of Sites Contaminated with Petroleum Hydrocarbons. Eds. García-Rincón et al., Springer Nature, Chapter 15, pp 503-547. doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-34447-3

• Jaberi, N., S. Linley, N.R. Thomson, 2023. Targeted delivery of nanoparticles to a heterogeneous crude oil zone in an unsaturated porous medium. Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 9, 1518-1530, doi.org/10.1039/D3EW00130J

• Jaberi, N., S. Linley, N.R. Thomson, K. McVey, K. Sra, F.X. Gu, 2023. Unsaturated transport and targeted binding of pluronic-coated nanoparticles: Lysimeter experiments. J Enviro Eng, 149(9), doi.org/10.1061/joeedu.eeeng-7255

• Sra, K., V. Ponsin, R. Kolhatkar, D. Hunkeler, N.R. Thomson, E.L. Madsen, T. Buscheck, 2023. Sulfate land application enhances biodegradation in a petroleum hydrocarbon smear zone. Groundwater Monit R. 43, 44-59. doi.org/10.1111/gwmr.12547

• Jaberi, N., S. Linley, N.R. Thomson, K. McVey, K. Sra, F.X. Gu, 2022. Transport and targeted binding of pluronic-coated nanoparticles in unsaturated porous media. J. Contam. Hydrol. 249. doi.org/10.1016/j.jconhyd.2022.104046

• Shafieiyoun, S., A.L Pham, N.R. Thomson, 2022. Evidence of precipitate formation and byproduct transfer to non-aqueous phase liquids as a result of persulfate exposure. Remediation. 32(3). doi.org/10.1002/rem.21718

• Saeed, W, O. Shouakar-Stash, J. Barker, N. Thomson, R. McGregor, 2021. Laboratory experiments to evaluate the effectiveness of persulfate to oxidize BTEX in saline environment and at elevated temperature using stable isotopes. Hydrology, 8, 139. doi.org/10.3390/hydrology8030139

• Linley S., A. Mellage, N.R. Thomson, P. van Cappellen, F. Rezanezhad, 2021. Spatiotemporal geo-electrical sensing of a Pluronic-coated cobalt ferrite nanoparticle slug in natural sand flow-through columns. Science of the Total Environment, 769, 14452. doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144522

• Linley, S., N.R. Thomson, 2021. Environmental applications of nanotechnology: nano-enabled remediation processes in water, soil, and air treatment. Water Air Soil Pollut 232, 59. doi.org/10.1007/s11270-021-04985-9

• Stevenson, D., F. Solano, Y, Wei, N.R. Thomson, J.F. Barker, 2020. Simple resistivity probe system for real-time monitoring of injected reagents. Groundwater Monit R. doi.org/10.1111/gwmr.12411

• Linley, S., N.R. Thomson, K. McVey, K. Sra, F.X. Gu, 2020. Factors affecting pluronic-coated iron oxide nanoparticle binding to petroleum hydrocarbon-impacted sediments, Chemosphere. 254, doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.126732

• Stonebridge, J., R. Baldwin, N.R. Thomson, C. Ptacek, 2020. Fluoride-selective electrode as a tool to evaluate the degradation of PFAS in groundwater: A bench-scale investigation. Groundwater Monit R., 40(2), 73-80. doi.org/10.1111/gwmr.12374

• Cho, M.S., Z. Zhao, N.R. Thomson, W. Illman, 2020. Use of steady-state hydraulic tomography to inform the selection of a chaotic advection system. Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, 229, 103559. doi.org/10.1016/j.jconhyd.2019.103559

• Longpré-Girard, M., R. Martel, T. Robert, R. Lefebvre J-M, Lauzon, N.R. Thomson, 2020. Surfactant foam selection for enhanced LNAPL recovery in contaminated aquifers, Transp Porous Med, 131m 65-84. doi.org/10.1007/s11242-019-01292-0

• Linley, S., N.R. Thomson, K. McVey, K. Sra, F. Gu. 2020. Influence of Pluronic coating formulation on nanoparticle transport in natural and oil-impacted sandy aquifer media. Can J Chem Eng, 98(3), 642-649, doi.org/10.1002/cjce.23650

• Esmaeili, S., N.R. Thomson, D.L. Rudolph, 2020. Evaluation of nutrient beneficial management practices on nitrate loading to groundwater in a southern Ontario agricultural landscape. Canadian Water Resources Journal / Revue canadienne des ressources hydriques, 45:1, 90-107, DOI: 10.1080/07011784.2019.1692697

• Cho, M.S., F. Solano, N.R. Thomson, M.G. Trefry, D.R. Lester, G. Metcalfe, 2019. Field trials of chaotic advection to enhance reagent delivery. Groundwater Monit R., 39(3), 23-39. doi.org/10.1111/gwmr.12339

• Linley, S., A. Holmes, T. Leshuk, W. Nafo, A. Al-Mayah, N.R. Thomson, K. McVey, K. Sra, F. Gu. 2019. Targeted nanoparticle binding & detection in petroleum hydrocarbon impacted porous media. Chemosphere, 215, 353-361, doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.10.046

• Bartlett, C., R.M. Slawson, N.R. Thomson, 2019. Response of sulfate-reducing bacteria and supporting microbial community to persulfate exposure in a continuous flow system. Environ. Sci.: Processes Impacts, 21, 1193-1203, doi.org/10.1039/c9em00094a

• Shafieiyoun, S., N.R. Thomson, 2019. Intra-NAPL diffusion and dissolution of a multi-component NAPL exposed to persulfate in a flow-through system. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 365, 366-374, doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2018.10.096

• Linley, S., A. Holmes, T. Leshuk, W. Nafo, A. Al-Mayah, N.R. Thomson, K. McVey, K. Sra, F. Gu. 2019. Targeted nanoparticle binding & detection in petroleum hydrocarbon impacted porous media. Chemosphere, 215, 353-361, doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.10.046

• Mellage, A., A. Holmes, S. Linley, F. Rezanezhad, N.R. Thomson, F. Gu, P. van Cappellen. 2018. Sensing iron-oxide nanoparticles with spectral induced polarization (SIP): Experiments in natural sand packed flow-through columns. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2018, 52(24), 14256-14265. doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.8b03686

• Bouchard, D., D. Hunkeler, E.L. Madsen, T. Buscheck, E. Daniels, R. Kolhatkar, C.M. DeRito, R. Aravena, N.R. Thomson, 2018. Application of diagnostic tools to evaluate remediation performance at petroleum hydrocarbon‐impacted sites. Groundwater Monit R., 38 (4), 88-98. doi.org/10.1111/gwmr.12300

• Wei, Y., N.R. Thomson, R. Aravena, M. Marchesi, J.F. Barker, E.L. Madsen, R. Kolhatkar, T. Buscheck, D. Hunkeler, C.M. DeRito. 2018. Infiltration of sulfate to enhance sulfate-reducing biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons. Groundwater Monit R., 38(4), 73-87. doi.org/10.1111/gwmr.12298

• Shafieiyoun, S., N.R. Thomson, A.P. Brey, C.M. Gasinski, W. Pence, M. Marley, 2018. Realistic expectations for the treatment of FMGP residuals by chemical oxidants. J. Contam. Hydrol., 219, 1-17. doi.org/10.1016/j.jconhyd.2018.08.007

• Bouchard, D., M. Marchesi, E. Madsen, C.M. DeRito, N.R. Thomson, R. Aravena, J.F. Barker, T. Buscheck, R. Kolhatkar, E.J. Daniels, D. Hunkeler, 2018. Diagnostic tools to assess mass removal processes during pulsed air sparging of a petroleum hydrocarbon source zone. Groundwater Monit R., 38(4), 29-44. doi.org/10.1111/gwmr.12297

• Shafieiyoun, S., N.R. Thomson, 2018. The role of intra-NAPL diffusion on mass transfer from multi-component NAPLs. J. Contam. Hydrol., 213, 49-61. doi.org/10.1016/j.jconhyd.2018.04.002

• Shayan, M., N.R. Thomson, R. Aravena, J.F. Barker, E.L. Madsen, T. Buscheck, R. Kolhatkar, E.J. Daniels, 2017. Integrated plume treatment using persulfate coupled with microbial sulfate reduction, Groundwater Monit R., 38(4), 45-61, doi.org/10.1111/gwmr.12227

• Solano, F.M., M. Marchesi, N.R. Thomson, D. Bouchard, R. Aravena, 2017. Carbon and hydrogen isotope fractionation of benzene, toluene and o-xylene during chemical oxidation by persulfate. Groundwater Monit R., 38(4), 62-72. doi.org/10.1111/gwmr.12228

• Ferreira, Ieda D., Tatiana Prieto, Juliana G. Freitas, Neil R. Thomson, Iseli L. Nantes, Etelvino J. H. Bechara, 2017. Natural persulfate activation for anthracene remediation in tropical environments. Water Air Soil Pollut, 228:146. doi.org/10.1007/s11270-017-3322-8

• Oliveira, Fernanda C. Juliana G. Freitas, Sheila A. C. Furquim, Renata M. Rollo, Neil R. Thomson, Luís R. F. Alleoni, Claudio A. O. Nascimento, 2016. Persulfate interaction with tropical soils. Water Air Soil Pollut 227:343, 14 pgs. doi.org/10.1007/s11270-016-3000-2

• Professor recognized by groundwater association