Barbara Zeeb, Royal Military College of Canada

Research

bioremediation environmental engineering halophytes and recretohalophytes modelling salt dispersal phytoremediation phytotechnologies reclamation of salt-impacted sites road salt

Latest papers

Closing the chloride loop: Halophyte biomass for circular road salt management.
Journal of environmental management · 2026 · senior author
Phytoremediation of road salt affected soils in the Toronto region using native halophytes.
Plant and soil · 2025 · senior author
Survival and reproduction tests using springtails reveal weathered petroleum hydrocarbon soil toxicity in boreal ecozone.
Environmental science and pollution research international · 2024 · senior author

All 11 publications

Latest funding

Developing plant-based strategies for the sustainable remediation of salinized soils
NSERC · 2021 · Principal investigator
$208,000
Remediation of Cement Kiln Dust (CKD)-contaminated sites using excretory halophytes: Quantification, optimization and modelling of salt extraction and dispersion
NSERC · 2016 · Principal investigator
$90,000
Evaluation of phytoextraction and biochar as a remedial approach for treating agricultural soils impacted with metals
NSERC · 2015 · Principal investigator
$25,000

All 11 grants and awards

11 publications.

01

Closing the chloride loop: Halophyte biomass for circular road salt management.

Chiasson A, Dimovska K, Ramesbottom A, Bilton A, Cartwright L, Zeeb B

Journal of environmental management2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2026.130117 PMID: 42235170

02

Phytoremediation of road salt affected soils in the Toronto region using native halophytes.

Nawroth L, Cartwright LA, Rutter A, Zeeb B

Plant and soil2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1007/s11104-025-07873-x PMID: 41523315

03

Survival and reproduction tests using springtails reveal weathered petroleum hydrocarbon soil toxicity in boreal ecozone.

Roy P, Rutter A, Gainer A, Haack E, Zeeb B

Environmental science and pollution research international2024Senior author

DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-35012-z PMID: 39302583

04

Transcriptome analysis of a springtail, Folsomia candida, reveals energy constraint and oxidative stress during petroleum hydrocarbon exposure.

Pang A, Rutter A, Haack E, Zeeb B

Chemosphere2023Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140185 PMID: 37716568

05

Improved methods for quantifying soil invertebrates during ecotoxicological tests: Chill comas and anesthetics.

Pang A, Nicol AM, Rutter A, Zeeb B

Heliyon2023Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e12850 PMID: 36647347

06

Assessment of the toxicity of weathered petroleum hydrocarbon impacted soils to native plants from a site in the Canadian Subarctic.

Pang A, Rutter A, Bordenave S, Gainer A, Haack E, Zeeb B

Ecotoxicology (London, England)2022Senior author

DOI: 10.1007/s10646-022-02585-9 PMID: 36125662

07

Evaluating mercury concentrations in edible plant and fungi species in the Canadian Arctic environment.

Bergin R, Koch I, Rutter A, Shirley J, Zeeb B

Journal of environmental quality2021Senior author

DOI: 10.1002/jeq2.20253 PMID: 34048608

08

Evaluating the efficacy of Atriplex spp. in the phytoextraction of road salt (NaCl) from contaminated soil.

Mann E, Rutter A, Zeeb B

Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)2020Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114963 PMID: 32806446

09

Curing the earth: A review of anthropogenic soil salinization and plant-based strategies for sustainable mitigation.

Litalien A, Zeeb B

The Science of the total environment2020Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134235 PMID: 31783465

10

Deciduous vegetation (Betula glandulosa) as a biomonitor of airborne PCB contamination from a local source in the Arctic.

Luttmer C, Ficko S, Reimer K, Zeeb B

The Science of the total environment2013Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.12.063 PMID: 23348720

Developing plant-based strategies for the sustainable remediation of salinized soils

Principal investigatorNSERC2021Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Zeeb, Barbara

Keywords: phytotechnologies; environmental engineering; bioremediation; phytoremediation; reclamation of salt-impacted sites; soil remediation; soil contamination; halophytes and recretohalophytes; road salt; modelling salt dispersal

$208,000

Remediation of Cement Kiln Dust (CKD)-contaminated sites using excretory halophytes: Quantification, optimization and modelling of salt extraction and dispersion

Principal investigatorNSERC2016Collaborative Research and Development Grants

Principal investigators: Zeeb, Barbara

$90,000

Evaluation of phytoextraction and biochar as a remedial approach for treating agricultural soils impacted with metals

Principal investigatorNSERC2015Engage Grants Program

Principal investigators: Zeeb, Barbara

$25,000

Elucidating the mechanisms utilized in phytotechnolgies and biochar immobilization to optimize contaminated site remediation

Principal investigatorNSERC2014Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Zeeb, Barbara

$110,000

High-throughput microbiological and biochemical characterization system

Co-investigatorNSERC2014Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: Weber, Kela

$66,119

Linking the technology of contaminant phytoextraction with the use of biochar to immobilize residual soil contaminants

Principal investigatorNSERC2012Collaborative Research and Development Grants

Principal investigators: Zeeb, Barbara

$102,000

Risk assessment and site closure strategies for phytoremediation plots on persistent organic pollutant (POPs)-contaminated Brownfield sites

Principal investigatorNSERC2009Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Zeeb, Barbara

$95,000

Canada Research Chair in Biotechnologies and Environment

Principal investigatorNSERC2008Canada Research Chairs

Principal investigators: Zeeb, Barbara

Keywords: CRC

$150,000

Phytoextraction: A green technology for remediating organochlorine contaminants at brownfield sites

Principal investigatorNSERC2006Collaborative Research and Development Grants

Principal investigators: Zeeb, Barbara

$413,570

Phytoremediation of chlorinated & recalcitrant compounds

Principal investigatorNSERC2005Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Zeeb, Barbara

$59,100

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Chemistry and Chemical Engineering - Chimie et de génie chimique
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Chemistry/Chemical Engineering, Environmental Sciences Group

Co-authors at Royal Military College of Canada, colored by department. Thicker lines mean more shared papers; select anyone to open their profile and their own map.

Iris Koch

Chemistry/Chemical Engineering, Environmental Sciences Group

1 shared papers, latest 2021

Amy Bilton

Mechanical and Industrial Engineering

1 shared papers, latest 2026

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their NSERC grant from 2021

Subject: Prospective PhD student: bioremediation Dear Professor Zeeb, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Closing the chloride loop: Halophyte biomass for circular road salt management." (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your NSERC-funded project "Developing plant-based strategies for the sustainable remediation of salinized soils" (2021), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]