Murray Close

Biography

Principal scientist Murray Close is a member of ESR’s Food, Water, and Biowaste group and leads its Groundwater team. With over 38 years’ experience in groundwater research, Murray is an expert in groundwater conditions and processes in New Zealand. Murray has served as programme leader on a number of major research programmes. Currently he leads the SSIF-funded (external link) 'Enhanced Mitigation of Nitrate in Groundwater' research programme and the 'Groundwater Modelling of Contaminant Transport' SSIF project, and coordinates the National Survey of Pesticides in Groundwater every four years. The 'Enhanced Mitigation of Nitrate in Groundwater' project is developing new methods for inducing denitrification in groundwater systems, in particular oxic, fast flowing, heterogeneous alluvial gravel aquifers. His team is developing innovative approaches such as Biogas Induced Denitrification in groundwater and denitrifying Permeable Reactive Barriers. These are being coupled with aquifer characterisation using advanced shallow depth geophysics, DNA tracers and groundwater microbial community analysis to enable the effective design, delivery and implementation of these mitigation tools. A third technology being trialled is the use of denitrifying bioreactors to treat nitrate from artificial drains.

Research Interest

Modelling the transport and fate of groundwater contaminants, such as nitrate, organic compounds, heavy metals, and microorganisms Land use effects on groundwater quality National and regional assessments of groundwater quality Unsaturated zone processes affecting groundwater contamination Leaching of pesticides and pesticide contamination of groundwater systems Characterising the structural and hydraulic properties of groundwater and vadose zone systems Investigation of groundwater ecosystems, including biofilms and stygofauna Remediation and removal of nitrate in groundwater systems