Dr Geert Cornelis

Biography/ Background

Geert cornelis has a broad background in environemntal science and technology which has directed his research interest to ultrafiltration and nanofiltration for purifcation of industrial wastewaters and geochemistry of oxyanionic heavy metals in inorganic alkaline solid wastes. Current research is focussed on the fate and behaviour of nanoparticulate heavy metals in Australian soils which could lead to an efficient assessment of the increasing environemntal risk associated with an emerging industry such as nanotechnology.

Qualifications

Ph.D., Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium), 2008 "Leaching Mechanisms of oxyanionic metalloid and metal species in alkaline solid wastes".

M. Environmental Science and Technology, Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium), 2003 "The influence of carbonation on the leaching of cement-bound heavy metals".

M. Appl. Biol. Sci. (Environmental Engineering), Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium), 2002 "The relation between abiotic soil parameters and biodiversity in wet heathlands" 

Research Interests

Geochemistry of heavy metals in various solid media

Environmental Technology (waste incineration, waste treatment technology, pressure-driven membrane filtration, soil remediation, wastewater treatment).

Colloidal Chemistry (natural and anthropogenic nanoparticulates)

Fate and behaviour of manufactured nanoparticles in terrestrial systems.

These research topics are and have been supported by The Australian Research Council (ARC), The Australian Department of Environment Water, heritage and the arts (DEWHA), Indaver (Belgium), The Flemish Research foundation (FWO).

Publications

Cornelis, G., Johnsson, C.A., Van Gerven, T., Vandecasteele, C., 2006. Leaching mechanisms of oxyanionic metalloid and metal species in alkaline solid wastes. Appl. Geochem. 23(5), 955-976.

Oorts K., Degryse F., Mertens J., Gasco G., Cornelis G., Smolders E., 2007. Solubility and Toxicity of antimony trioxide (Sb₂O₃) in soil. Environ. Sci. Tech. 42, 4378-4383.

Cornelis, G., Poppe, S., Van Gerven, T., Van den Broeck, E., Ceulemans, M., Vandecasteele, C., 2007. Geochemical modelling of arsenic and selenium leaching in alkaline water treatment sludge from non-ferrous metal production. J. Hazard. Mat. 159(2-3), 271-279

Cornelis, G., Van Gerven, T., Vandecasteele, C., 2006. Sb-leaching from carbonated and uncarbonated bottom ash. J. Hazard. Mat. A137: 1284-1292.

Cornelis, G., Boussu, K., Van der Bruggen, B., Devreese, I., Vandecasteele, C. 2005. Nanofiltration of nonionic surfactants: Effect of molecular weight cut-off and contact angle on flux behavior. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 44(20), 7652-7658.

Entry last updated: Tuesday, 14 Jul 2009