Category: English

New publication on fate of Ascaris at various pH, temperature and moisture levels

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A new study assessed the inactivation of Ascaris eggs under various conditions and observed that the exposure of Ascaris eggs to elevated pH (10.5–12.5) at temperatures <27.5 °C for >70 days had no effect on egg viability. To accelerate the inactivation of STH, an increase in the treatment temperature is more effective than pH increase. Alkaline pH alone did not inactivate the eggs but can enhance the effect of ammonia, which is likely to be present in organic wastes.

Follow the link to access the article: https://doi.org/10.2166/wh.2020.264

Senecal, J., Nordin, A., & VinnerĂĄs, B. (2020). Fate of Ascaris at various pH, temperature and moisture levels. Journal of Water and Health.

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PhD Defence of Jenna Senecal on June 11th at 9h00

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On June 11th @ 9h00 Jenna Senecal will defend her thesis titled “Safe Nutrient Recovery from Human Urine – System and Hygiene Evaluation of Alkaline Urine Dehydration.” You are most welcome to watch the defence. One may come in person to Framtiden room in the MVM building at SLU (max 25 people) or join online.

For online viewing, one can stream it from facebook at our departmental webpage. Or join via zoom: https://slu-se.zoom.us/j/65645045319 with password: 528646

Process efficiency and ventilation requirement in BSFL composting of substrates with high water content

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Our latest publication on BSFL composting entitled Process efficiency and ventilation requirement in black soldier fly larvae composting of substrates with high water content has been recently published in Science of the Total Environment. In this study we investigated the impact on increasing substrate water content on the process efficiency in black soldier fly larvae composting. We used the gathered data to make a model predicting the required ventilation for achieving a residue dry enough to allow for dry separation of larvae from treatment residue at the end of the composting. In contrast to what other studies have found, we fund that it is possible to BSFL compost substrates with water content 80 – 90 % and dry separate the larvae from the residue. For substrates with water content >90% it was more difficult, as the process efficiency decreased greatly, while the ventilation requirement increased.

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New Publication on drying human urine using different alkaline media & temperatures

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In a study recently published in Science of the Total Environment, we present results from a study that investigated drying of fresh source-separated human urine in five different alkaline media (pH > 11) at elevated temperatures (50 and 60 °C) with minimal loss of urea, urine’s principal nitrogen compound. We found that it was possible to concentrate urine 48 times, yielding dry end-products with high fertiliser value: approximately, 10% N, 1% P, and 4% K. We monitored the physicochemical properties and the composition of various dehydration media to provide useful insights into their suitability for dehydrating urine. We demonstrated that it is possible to recover >90% nitrogen when treating fresh urine by alkaline dehydration by inhibiting the enzymatic hydrolysis of urea at elevated pH and minimising the chemical hydrolysis of urea with high urine dehydration rates.

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Online public PhD defence of Claudia Cossio on June 4

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Claudia Cossio, who has been co-supervised by Jennifer McConville from our research group will present her PhD thesis on the 4th of June. The thesis is titled “A Journey towards Sustainable Small Wastewater Treatment Systems in Low and Lower–Middle Income Countries” and her focus has been on Bolivia.

Where: https://chalmers.zoom.us/j/68990184473

Link to thesis: https://research.chalmers.se/publication/516714/file/516714_Fulltext.pdf

Opponent: Associate Professor Miller Alonso Camargo-Valero, School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds, UK

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Ida Helgegren – PhD Defense on 19th May

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Ida Helgegren, a PhD student at Chalmers who has been co-supervised by Jennifer McConville from our research group will present her thesis on 19th May. Her thesis title is “Understanding the Roles of Stakeholders in the Water and Sanitation Sector- Implementation and Operation of Water Supply and Sanitation Systems in the Kanata metropolitan region, Bolivia“.

When? 2020-05-19 at 10:00

Where? Zoom link to on-line defense: https://chalmers.zoom.us/j/65601700581

Link to thesis: https://research.chalmers.se/publication/516557

Opponent: Klaas Schwartz, IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, The Netherlands

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Comparing treatment options for nutrient-recovery from fecal sludge

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The latest publication from our project in Uganda is on-line. We present a multi-criteria assessment method for planning and decision-making related to options for recovering nutrients from fecal sludge. We apply the method to the case of Kampala, Uganda. However, we start with a broad list of potential technologies and there are quite a few references for more information on these technologies – so the method and data should be interesting for other people interested in options for nutrient-recovery.

Read the full paper here: McConville, J. R., Kvarnström, E., Nordin, A. C., Jönsson, H., & Niwagaba, C. B. (2020). Structured Approach for Comparison of Treatment Options for Nutrient-recovery from Fecal Sludge. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 8, 36.

Luis successfully defended his PhD thesis!

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Luis Fernando Perez Mercado successfully defended his thesis “Farm-based technologies for management of risks from irrigation with wastewater-polluted sources in Cochabamba, Bolivia” on April 16.

Link to thesis: https://pub.epsilon.slu.se/16783/1/perez_mercado_l_200324.pdf

A totally new concept with having the evaluation performed over link. All was working well and the defence was a success!

Pictures from defence: https://photos.app.goo.gl/vHkR5kvaSPQv1xcp9

Kretsloppsteknik at SciFest 2020

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We at Kretsloppsteknik have been very active in community outreach and in engaging the public with our research and educational activities. Continuing this tradition, this week you find us at Fyrisov in Uppsala where we have a booth to participate in SciFest 2020 – an inspirational science festival for school students, young researchers and innovators that is co-organized by Uppsala University and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. At our booth, we are demonstrating to young minds how we can separately collect and recycle different fractions from the household. We have the crowd stopping black soldier fly larvae composting, a urine-diverting dry toilet and dried urine fertiliser, single use biodegradable PeePoo toilets, biochar filters, and props showcasing how much waste we produce every day per person. All members of the group have taken turns to be at the booth – to talk to kids and inspire them to think differently and see value in what society considers waste. It is quite amazing to see, hear and interact with kids of every age group that stop by our stall. Many were quite active, touching and holding the BSF larvae, bringing their friends to do the same, and appreciating the thinking and reasoning behind recycling waste fractions.

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