Maria Elektorowicz

Dr. Maria Elektorowicz obtained her M.Eng. and Ph.D. degrees from Warsaw Technical University, Poland. Her research interests are bio-physico-chemical interaction phenomena in soil/groundwater/contaminant matrix, contaminated site remediation, as well as contaminated sediments and biosolids management. She joined Concordia in 1993.

Dr. Maria Elektorowicz obtained M.Eng. and Ph.D. degrees from Warsaw Technical University in 1971 and 1977. In 1978, she was awarded a UNESCO postdoctoral fellowship in the groundwater protection domain. Between 1972 and 1981, she conducted research in the Institute of Air Quality and Water Resource Management in Warsaw, Poland.

Dr. Elektorowicz also taught Environmental Engineering at the University of Constantina in Algeria from 1981-1986. After working as a Research Associate for 6 years at the Geotechnical Research Centre at McGill University, she was appointed to Concordia University in 1993. Dr. Elektorowicz is presently the Chair of the Environmental Engineering Division at Canadian Society for Civil Engineering.

Consulting work

• Excessive groundwater uptake
• Site remediation
• Recharge of groundwater table
• Criteria for landfill siting
• Modeling of biogeochemical processes
• Transition to sustainable technologies
• Environmental impact assessment

Memberships and registrations

• Chair, Environmental Engineering Division of Canadian Society for Civil Engineering
• Member, Water Environment Federation
• Member, International Society of Trace Element Biogeochemistry
• Member, Canadian Association on Water Quality
• Member, Ordre des Ingénieurs du Québec (Professional Engineer)
• President, RESOL (Inter-university network of experts for soil contamination)

Undergraduate courses

• CIVI 361-Introduction to Environmental Engineering
• CIVI 466-Engineering Aspects of Chemical and Biological Processes
• CIVI 468-Waste Management
• CIVI 469-Geo-Environmental Engineering

Graduate courses

• CIVI 6611-Environmental Engineering
• CIVI 6491-Engineering Aspects of Site Remediation
• CIVI 6481-Hazardous Waste Management
• CIVI 6651-Water Pollution and Control
• CIVI 6671-Fate and Transport of Contaminants in the Environment
• ENGR 7971; ENGR 7981, ENGR 7991

• Bio-physico-chemical interaction phenomena in soil/groundwater/contaminant matrix
• Biosolids management
• Site remediation - biological, physical and chemical techniques
• Application of electrokinetics to mix contaminated soils, sediment and groundwater
• Bio-electrokinetics
• Pretreatment techniques in clay followed by bioremediation
• Containment: grouting of polymers and silica
• Application of surfactants and biosurfactants
• Supercritical Fluid Extraction of contaminants from soil
• Phytoremediation
• Modelling of contaminant transport in water, sediments and biota
• Performance of constructed wetland components
• Management for Acid Sulfate Soils
• Waste disposal facilities - landfill, recycling, and recovery
• Site assessment methodology
• Biosolids remediation techniques

Selected refereed publications

1. Wei V, Elektorowicz M, Oleszkiewicz JA (2012) Electrically enhanced MBR system for total nutrient removal in remote northern applications.   Water Sci. Techn.65 (4) 737-742
2. Elektorowicz M, Hasan S, Oleszkiewicz J, 2012, “A submerged membrane electro-bioreactor” achives high removal efficiencyes”, Water Environment and Technology, 2012 (January):60-62
3. Yuan J, Elektorowicz M, Dabros T, 2012, 3D field–scale environmental multimedia system validation of dispersion of benzene for Trail Road Landfill & its risk assessment, J Env Prot, 3(1):41-48
4. Wei V, Elektorowicz M, Oleszkiewicz j, 2011, Influence of electric current on bacterial viability in wastewater treatment. Water Research 45 (16):5058-62
5. Bani-Melhem K, Elektorowicz M, 2011, Performance of the Submerged Membrane Electro-Bioreactor (SMEBR) with iron electrodes for WWT and fouling reduction. J Mem. Sc. 379(1-2):434-439
6. Yuan J, Elektorowicz M, Chen Z. 2010, Improved Environmental Multimedia Modeling and Its Sensitivity Analysis, Water Science and Technology 63 (10): 2155–2163
7. Qasaimeh A, Elektorowicz M, Jasiuk I, 2010, Intelligent novel solid waste management system (QEJ bricks biocell approach), Hypothesis Journal, 8(1):1-14
8. Bani Melhem K, Elektorowicz M, 2010, Development of a Novel Submerged Membrane Electro-Bioreactor (SMEBR): Performance for Fouling Reduction, Envir. Tech & Sc 44 ( 9): 3298 - 3304
9. Wei V., Oleszkiewicz J, M. Elektorowicz. 2009 Nutrient removal in an electrically enhanced membrane bioreactor Water Sci. & Tech.60:3159-3164
10. Elektorowicz M, 2009, Electrochemical remediation of mixed contaminants, in Electrochem.  Rem. Tech. Poll. Soils, Sediments and Groundwater, Eds: Reddy & Cameselle, John Wiley& Son, NY
11. Kaleta J, Elektorowicz M., 2009, Removal of humic substances from aqueous solution in coagulation process, Envi. Tech 30(2) 119-127
12. Elektorowicz M., Hasnawi R, Ayadat T, Chifrina R, 2008, Formation of silica grouts curtains or containments in mineralized groundwater, J. Env. Eng. & Sci 7: 275-287 (nominated to CSCE Award for the best paper in 2008)
13. Huang J., Elektorowicz M., Oleszkiewicz J., 2008, Response of aerobic and anaerobic sludge to dewatering and disinfection using elektrokinetics (EK), Water Sc.& Tech. 57 (2) 231-236
14. Elektorowicz M, El-Sadi, Ayadat T, 2008, Modeling of supercritical fluid extraction of phenanthrene from clayey soil, J. Sep. Sci. 31(8)1381-1386 (among 10 top papers in the domain)
15. Ziyad M, Elektorowicz M, 2007, Metal removal from petroleum sludge using ion exchange textile, Environmental Technology 29 (4)393-399
16. Elektorowicz M, El-Sadi, Ju l, Ayadat T, 2007, Effect of SFE parameters and clay properties on the efficiency of PAHs extraction, J Coll. & Interf. Sc 309 (2): 445-452 (10 top papers in the domain)
17. Kaoser S, Barrington S, Elektorowicz M, Ayadat T, 2006, Pressure and compaction effects on hydraulic conductivity of sand-bentonite liners: Soil Sedim Contam, 15:1-16
18. El Aghury, Vasudeva R, Banu D, Elektorowicz M, Feldman D, 2006, Con-tribution to the study of fungal attack on some plasticized vinyl form, J Polym & Env 14 (2) 135-147
19. Esmaeily A, Elektorowicz M, Oleszkiewicz J. 2006, Dewatering and pathogen elimination from biosolids using electrokinetic phenomena, J Env Eng Sc, 5:197-202
20. Said M, Elektorowicz M., Ahmad P, Chifrina R, 2006, A new rapid technique for screening the potential cultures of microorganisms to grow on petroleum oily sludge, Env Tech, 27 (10)
21. Elektorowicz M, Habibi S, Chifrina R 2006, Effect of electrical potential on the electro-  demulsifyfication of oily sludge, J Colloid & Inter Sc 295 (2) 535-541
22. Kaoser S, Barrington S, Elektorowicz M., Wang L., 2005, Effect of Pb and Cd on Cu adsorption of bentonite liners, Can J Civil Eng., 32 (1) 241-249
23. Elektorowicz M, Habibi S., 2005, A New Sustainable Technology for Recovery of Fuel from Petroleum Wasted Sludge, Can J Civil Eng., 32 (1) 164-169
24. Kaoser S, Barrington S, Elektorowicz M, 2004, Copper adsorption with Pb and Cd in sand-bentonite liners under various pH. Part I., J of Env Sc & Health, 39(09): 2241-2256
25. Kaoser S, Barrington S, Elektorowicz M, 2004, Copper adsorption with Pb and Cd in sand-bentonite liners under various pH PartII. J of Env Sc and Health, 39(09): 2257-2274
26. Degtiareva T., Elektorowicz M, Ebadi T, 2003, An assessment of the lead release into the water column from cables buried in sediment, ASTM STP 1442, pp 282-296, West Conshohocken, PA: 282-295
27. Nikkami D., Elektorowicz M. , Mehuys, GR, 2002, "Optimizing the management of soil erosion", Water Quality Research Journal of Canada, 37 (3): 577-586
28. Degtiareva T., Elektorowicz M., 2001, A computer simulation of water quality change due to dredging of heavy metals contaminated sediments in the Old Harbor of Montreal, Water Quality Research Journal of Canada, 36 (1): 1-19 (leading paper)
29. Degtiareva T., Elektorowicz M 2001, Change in the water quality of industrial channels due to the resuspension of sediments contaminated with heavy metals, Water Science & Technology, 1 (2), 27-35

Conferences

• ELEKTOROWICZ, M., HAKIMPOUR M., 2001, Hybrid Electrokinetic Method Applied to mix contamination clayey soil, EREM, 3rd Symposium and status report on electrokinetic remediation, Karlsruhe, Germany, April 2001

• BALAZINSKI, M., ACHICHE, S., BARON, L., ELEKTOROWICZ, M., EL-AGROUDY, A., 2001, Investigation of Constructed Wetlands Efficiency in Mercury Removal Using Genetically Generated Fuzzy Knowledge Bases, CSCE 7th Specialty Conference on Environmental Engineering, Victoria, June 2001

• ELEKTOROWICZ, M., El-HAWARI A., 2001, MFC model as a tool for assessment of the sediment remediation impact on water quality, CSCE 7th Specialty Conference on Environmental Engineering, Victoria, June 2001

• ELEKTOROWICZ M., HATIM.J, 2000, Application of surfactant enhanced electorokinetics for hydrocarbon contaminated soils, 53rd Canadian Geotechnical Conference, Montreal, October, 617-624

• JU L., ELEKTOROWICZ, 2000, In-situ phenanthrene removal provoked by electrokinetic transport of on-site produced biosurfactants, CSCE 6th Conference on Environmental Engineering, May 2000, London, ON

• El-AGROUDY A, ELEKTOROWICZ M., SMOCZYNSKA H., 1998, Potential of wetland's plants to protect downstream surface water from mercury contamination, 3rd Int. Conf on Water Supply and Quality, Poznan, Poland

• NIKKAMI D., ELEKTOROWICZ M., MEHYUS R., 1996, MUSLE interfacing with SPAN-GIS, CSCE 3rd Canadian Conference on computing in Civil Eng., August, Montreal, 678-687