Project Listing
Population growth outpaces infrastructure construction in urban areas around the world. To deal with rapid growth and lack of sanitation in Durban, South Africa, and to provide emergency relief, the research and development agency, BORDA, designed a 4 chamber Anaerobic Baffled Reactor (ABR) system in a standard shipping container. This design allows for fast worldwide deployment and can be used to pre-treat wastewater at any point. The design is not intended for 100% treatment quality, but instead for a quickly deployable and robust solution for rapid response.
IRES students can be involved in various projects at the Newlands-Mashu site in Durban. Many of the IRES projects focus on the ABR. Others will focus on water reuse for agriculture and beneficial use of faecal sludge at the water-energy-food nexus. Examples of projects are shown below.
Fluorescence tracking of organic matter degradation
Biodegradation of the organic compounds in wastewater in different parts of the DEWATS plant is a highly complex process. Soluble microbial products (SMPs) increase in certain stages of the ABR. Meanwhile, easily degradable organic fractions are degraded to different degrees in other zones of the ABR. Fluorescence spectroscopy is becoming a promising technology to *fingerprint* these fractions. Biodegradability assays and spatio-temporal changes in chemical oxygen demand (COD) will be measured as supporting data for fluorescence interpretations. |
Nutrient recovery from wastewater effluent using duckweed
Anaerobic treatment greatly reduces organic matter and suspended solids concentrations; however nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in ABR effluent are high. Using aquatic plants such as Lemna minor (duckweed), nutrients are recovered from effluent for potential use as fertilizer and soil amendment. This study will explore the nutrient uptake by duckweed in different wastewater types. |
Flow distribution in the Container ABR
This project will utilize fluorescence tracers and lithium-based tracers to determine the flow distribution inside the ABR chambers. Fluorescence-based markers will bind to a certain degree with the microbial sludge layer. By using a secondary lithium-based test this amount can be quantified and calculated for future usage of the more inexpensive fluorescence marker to track flow rates inside the ABR. |
Solids Movement in the system
Solids are partially degraded within the ABR system, and partially they settle. The movement and transfer of total and volatile solids at different flow rates is to be analysed. Total Solids are degraded into Volatile Solids based on upflow rate and contact times with the microbial sludge layer. Connections to organics biodegradability, methane generation, and water quality will be made.
Solids are partially degraded within the ABR system, and partially they settle. The movement and transfer of total and volatile solids at different flow rates is to be analysed. Total Solids are degraded into Volatile Solids based on upflow rate and contact times with the microbial sludge layer. Connections to organics biodegradability, methane generation, and water quality will be made.
Degradation of trace organic chemicals by photolysis
This project is the start of experimental work evaluating the photochemical degradation of zidovudine, an antiretroviral drug, in effluent of the ABR to simulate processes that may occur in pond or free water surface wetlands exposed to sunlight. Initial steps were taken to design experiments and conduct sample extraction for high performance liquid chromatography analyses in collaboration with faculty at the University of KwaZulu Natal - Westville campus. |
*** Note that project themes are tentative and subject to change. If selected, you may conduct research that is different from the project you write about in your essay. ***