Author: Prithvi Simha

Stockholm Exergi and Waste Sweden has conducted a study to investigate the market for biochar and specifically the willingness to pay within five industrial applications: biochar as soil improvers, biochar filling material in concrete, biochar in agriculture, biochar as filter material for water and wastewater, and biochar as additive to animal feed.

Sahar Dalahmeh (Environmental technology group – Institute for Energy and Technology) and Mikael Pell (Department of Molecular Sciences) participated in the study and contributed with their knowledge regarding the market for biochar as a filter material for water and sewage treatment. Click here to access the press release and summary where the report can also be downloaded from: https://www.avfallsverige.se/kunskapsbanken/rapporter/rapportera/?tx_news_pi1%5Bnews%5D=2583&tx_news_pi1%5Bcontroller%5D=News&tx_news_pi1%5Baction%5D=detail&cHash=68ee39223998ccc35409d625c9eaf41a

On Thurday, June 28th, we had the honour to show our research activities to a Nigierian delegation, including the Nigeria ambassador to Sweden, H.E. Musa Ilu Mohammed and the Govenour of Borno, H.E. Hon. Kashim Shettima, who were visiting SLU. Björn was presenting our visions for future solid waste management, using fly larvae composting to recycle the food waste and decrease the amount of landfilling. Additionally we visited the fly larvae lab where Victoria and Giulio presented the processes in fly larvae composting and the different stages of the insects. PC: Giulio ZorzettoPC: Emelie Zonabend König

The report “Capacity of Biochar Filters for Onsite Wastewater Treatment: Phosphorus and Nitrogen Removal” is now published at Havs- och vatten myndigheten website. Capacity of Biochar Filters for Onsite Wastewater Treatment: Phosphorus and Nitrogen Removal”. In this report, Sahar Dalahmeh, researcher in the environmental technology group, has compiled her projects results on the capacity of impregnated biochar filters and two stage biochar filters for removal of phosphorus and nitrogen from wastewater in small and onsite wastewater systems.

With funding from the Havs- och vattenmyndigheten- Sweden, Sahar Dalahmeh carried out and reported the project “Biochar for small and onsite wastewater treatment”. The project aimed at developing biochar as filter material to improve the treatment of wastewater in small and individual sewers. The project showed that lime and iron impregnation of biochar improved its ability to bind phosphorus, which means that it fits well as filter material in small sewage plants. In order not to saturate the material, impregnated biochar filters  should be used as a separate filter module for phosphorous purification after main purification (where organic matter and ammonium are purified from sewage).

Two-step biochar filter with vertical flow followed by horizontal flow was effective to reduce organic material and had promising performance for total nitrogen reduction. However, the design of the filter system needs to be investigated and optimized.

To read more, please follow the following link. https://www.havochvatten.se/download/18.4c271c50163bf560e38d56e1/1528791738532/rapport-slu-biokol-i-sma-avloppsanlaggningar.pdf

Contact Sahar Dalahmeh

Post published by Prithvi Simha

 

Close to midsummer, Björn Vinnerås was in Delft teaching students from the new MSc program in Sanitation at the UN-IHE. The lectures were in the module of “Sanitation Technology” talking about pathogens and hygienisation technologies. Lectures ended up discussing four case studies on how to manage a recycling sanitation system without spreading any diseases. A really inspiring group of students eager to learn and discuss this topic. They will be a good resource in the future of on-site sanitation and reuse of plant nutrients.

            The new MSc program in Sanitation at UN-IHE, Delft PC: Shirish Singh

The one year meeting was hosted by the wastewater organisation of Helsingborg NSVA, who showed the exiting plans for the new development of central Helsingborg H+ and their visions for sustainable wastewater management in Recolab. The meeting was very fruitful, looking into what was achieved during last year and the planning of the coming year, including trying to fit in field trials of the new wastewater based fertiliser substrates that will be produced in the project. SLU representatives Björn Vinnerås & Annika Nordin.