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Philipp Wanner

Senior Lecturer

Department of Earth Sciences
Telephone
+46 766-18 56 15
Mail
philipp.wanner@gu.se
Visiting address
Medicinaregatan 7 B
41390 Göteborg
Postal address
Box 460
40530 Göteborg

About Philipp Wanner

The Hidden Water Beneath Our Feet

Did you know that almost all of the Earth's liquid freshwater lies hidden below the surface?

  • 99% of the world’s liquid freshwater is groundwater
  • Nearly half of the global population relies on groundwater for drinking water
  • Groundwater supports 40% of global food production
  • Groundwater sustains rivers, lakes, and wetlands
  • 2.5 billion people depend exclusively on groundwater to meet their daily water needs

And yet, the quality of this essential, invisible water resource is increasingly at risk. A wide range of human-made contaminants threaten groundwater quality.

 

My Research: Understanding Contaminant Behaviour in Groundwater

Effective groundwater protection and management depend on a fundamental understanding of how contaminants behave in the subsurface. My research explores how contaminants enter, spread, and persist in groundwater systems, which is critical for risk assessment and remediation strategies. I focus on both legacy contaminants (such as chlorinated solvents and pesticides) and emerging contaminants (such as microplastics and PFAS).

 

Why This Matters

Groundwater is a cornerstone of human health, ecosystem stability, and climate change resilience. Yet, its contamination often goes unnoticed until it's too late. By advancing our understanding of subsurface contaminant dynamics, my research contributes to more informed groundwater policies, sustainable chemical regulation, and long-term water resource management.

 

About me

At the Earth Science Department of the University of Gothenburg, I am an Associate Professor (Docent) in Contaminant Hydrogeology and the head of the IsoGot Laboratory. I am also a principal investigator (PI) of the North American Consortium for Field-Focused Groundwater Research, and a member of the steering group of the Centre for Future Chemical Risk Assessment and Management (FRAM).

 

Current Projects

 

  • Swedish Research Council (VR) Network Grant (Co-PI): NEW Water: Driving Next-Generation Water Solutions (2025-2026). Involved Universities: University of Gothenburg, Chalmers,  Swedish University of Agricultural Science (SLU), Lund University, Umeå University, Swedish Environmental Institute (IVL).

 

 

 

 

 

Previous Projects

  • Carl Trygger Foundation Project (PI): Determining chlorinated solvent biodegradation in contaminated groundwater systems and its implications for remediation (2022 - 2024).

 

Teaching

At the Department of Earth Sciences, I teach the course Environmental Earth Sciences with a focus on water quality (GV2003) at the Bachelor's level.

 

In the media

July 2025:

Interview with Göteborgs Posten (GP) about the usage of plastic bottles for drinking water.

December 2023:

Interview on Swedish Radio (P4) about groundwater and drinking water contamination in Sweden (in Swedish).

September 2023:

Invited talk at Bokmässan in Gothenburg about groundwater contamination in Sweden.

May 2023:

Portrait in the GU Science & IT Faculty Magazine

August 2021:

Interview with Sverige TV (SVT) about concrete production by Cementa on Gotland.

 

Curriculum Vitae

Since 2023, Nov:

Associate Professor (Docent), University of Gothenburg, Department of Earth Sciences, Sweden

Since 2021, Mar:

Principal Investigator (PI) of the North American University Consortium for Field-Focused Groundwater Research

2020, Sep – 2023, Nov:

Assistant Professor (tenure-track), University of Gothenburg, Department of Earth Sciences, Sweden

2019, Jan – 2020, Aug:

Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Bern, Institute of Geological Sciences, Switzerland

2017, Feb – 2018, Dec:

Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Guelph, Morwick G360 Groundwater Research Institute, Canada

2015, Jun/2016, Apr:

Guest Researcher, University of Princeton, Civil and Environmental Engineering, USA

2012, Nov – 2016, Dec:

PhD Student and Assistant, University of Neuchâtel, Centre for Hydrogeology and Geothermics (CHYN), Switzerland

2010, Sep – 2012, Oct:

Master Student and Assistant, University of Bern, Institute of Geological Sciences, Switzerland.

2007, Sep – 2010, Aug:

Bachelor student and Assistant, University of Bern, Institute of Geological Sciences, Switzerland.