Water Institute faculty members host state-of-the-art research facilities that support water-related investigations and discoveries.
Biological
- DNA:biomolecule (DNA and RNA) isolation purification and analysis, combinatorial DNA selection
- Fish assays:genetic and diagnostic assays of fish health (unique in the world)
- Imaging system:world’s highest resolution, largest field of view imaging-based monitoring system for detecting and automatically enumerating different types of pathogens
Computational
- Big data:cluster-based modelling infrastructure (parallel processing), automated data retrieval, and preliminary analysis of large data sets (big data analysis capacity)
- Fluid dynamics:largest computational fluid dynamics infrastructure and software in Canada
- Simulation modelling:large capacity for simulation modelling offlow and transportprocesses in groundwater and surface waters
Environmental
- Cryospheric remote sensing laboratory: international level environmental isotope laboratory,specialized capability in gas ratio mass spectrometers and thermal ionization mass spectrometer (TIMS)
- Waterloo Aquatic Toxicology & Ecosystem Remediation Laboratory
- WATER Lab (WATerloo Environmental-change Research Lab)
Water quality
- Environmental particle analysis: XRF, XRD, SEM-EDX, NIR, microwave digestion
- Geomicrobiology: epiflorescence, q-PCR, DGGE, micro-respiration, retentostats
- Natural organic matter characterization:LC-OCD, FEEM spectrophotometer
- Trace and emerging organic contaminants: LC-MS, GC-MSD, HPLC electrospray triple quadrapole MS, IC electrospray triple quadruple MS, GC chemical ionization single quadrapole MS
- Trace metals:large clean lab, MC-ICP-MS, triple quadrapole ICP-Ms, Photon Machines Analyte G2 excimer laser ablation system
Water treatment
- Drinking water:pilot plant with conventional water treatment technologies
- Membrane technology:advanced composite membrane casting, characterization of membrane structure, lab- and pilot-scale membrane filtration systems
- Wastewater:pilot-scale wastewater technology testing facility
Field platforms
- Alder Creek:sub-watershed of the Grand River, intensively instrumented including real-time data management systems
- CFB Borden: field facility for the development and testing of concepts and technologies in contaminant hydrology
- Hydrometeorology:network of 12 comprehensive hydrometeorological flux stations across Canada
- Several departments focus on field research. Collectively we have an extensive set of equipment for water, biological, and ecological monitoring and sample collection. This includes a Geoprobe drill rig in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences.