On the 17th of January, Olle Castell, Caroline GĂ„rdestedt och Malin Denninger from the Swedish Red Cross, and Axel Wurtz and Jairo Mosquera from Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) came to visit Cecilia Lalander and Annika Nordin from the Environmental Engineering group. Several possible treatment technologies for the treatment of faecal sludge in emergency settings were discussed. Fly larvae composting and thermophilic aerobic digestion (TAD) were discussed in detail, as these are treatments that Cecilia and Annika have expert knowledge in. There was also time for a visit to the fly facility. Olle Castell and Malin Denninger updated Cecilia on the current situation in the refugee camps in Coxâs Bazar, Bangladesh. In early 2018, Cecilia spent one month in the camps with the Swedish Red Cross with the mission to evaluated possible treatment methods for the treatment of faecal sludge in the camps. We are pleased that the collaboration between the Swedish Red Cross and the Environmental Engineering group continues.
Ny publikation om avlÀgsnande av per- och polyfluoralkylÀmnen vid avloppsrening pÄ plats
I denna studie undersökte vi potentialen för biokolfilter som en ersÀttning eller komplement för sandfilter för borttagning av per- och polyfluoroalkylÀmnen frÄn avloppsvatten i avloppsanlÀggningarna pÄ plats. I ett 22-veckors experiment undersöktes koncentrationer, avlÀgsnande och adsorption av nio perfluoroalkylkarboxylater (PFCA: er; C3-11) och tre perfluoroalkansulfonater (PFSA; C4, 6, 8) och en perfluoroktansulfonamid (FOSA; C8) i fyra behandlingar: biokol med aktiv biofilm, biokol med inaktiv biofilm, biokol utan biofilm och sand med aktiv biofilm. Vi fann att biokol utan biofilm uppnÄdde högre borttagningseffektivitet (90-99%) och adsorptionskapacitet (73 -168 ng g-1) för C7-C11 PFCA, C6, C8 PFSA och FOSA, Àn de andra biokol- och sandbehandlingarna. För alla biokolbehandlingar var PFAS med kortare kedja mer motstÄndskraftiga mot borttagning Àn PFAS med lÀngre kedja.
New Publication on removal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in onsite wastewater treatment
In this study, we investigated the potential of biochar filters as a replacement or complement for sand filters for removal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances from wastewater in onsite sewage facilities. In a 22-weeks experiment, concentrations, removal and adsorption of nine perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs; C3- 11) and three perfluoroalkane sulfonates (PFSAs; C4, 6, 8) and one perfluorooctanesulfonamide (FOSA; C8) were investigated in four treatments: biochar with active, biochar with inactive biofilm, biochar without biofilm and sand with active biofilm. We found that biochar with no biofilm achieved higher removal efficiency (90-99%) and the adsorption capacity (73 -168 ng g-1 ) for C7-C11 PFCAs, C6, C8 PFSAs and FOSA, than the other biochar and sand treatments. For all biochar treatments, shorter-chain PFASs were more resistant to removal than longer-chain PFASs.
Nduhiu Gitahi, doktor i filosofi
Vi gratulerar Nduhiu Johnson Gitahi till doktorexamen i filosofi för sitt avhandlingsarbete: Isolering, serotyp och molekylÀr karakterisering av enteriska patogener för validering av Peepoo sanering lÀngs hanteringskedjan i Kibera, Nairobi Kenya.
Nduhiu Gitahi, Doctor of Philosophy
We congratulate Mr Nduhiu Johnson Gitahi to the degree Doctor of Philosophy achieved for his thesis work: Isolation, serotyping & molecular characterization of enteric pathogens for validation of Peepoo sanitization along handling chain at Kibera, Nairobi Kenya.
TvÄ nya praktikanter för urinsorteringsprojektet
Den senaste tillökningen i Kretsloppsteknik Àr tvÄ praktikanter, Chinmoy Deb och Anooj Ramanathan, som kommer hela vÀgen frÄn Indien för att arbeta med urinsortering för sin kandidatexamen. Under deras kandidatexamen har bÄde Chinmoy och Anooj forskat pÄ sanitet, arbetat med nÀringsÄtervinning samt borttagning av farmaceutiska rester frÄn mÀnsklig urin. Ett stort intresse för sanitets- och hygienteknologier har tagit dem till vÄr grupp pÄ SLU för en 3-mÄnaders lÄng praktik som började i december. Under praktikperioden kommer de att vara involverade i pÄgÄende projekt relaterade till processmodellering, intensifiering och optimering.
Two new interns for the urine drying project
The latest additions to Kretsloppsteknik are two interns, Chinmoy Deb and Anooj Ramanathan, coming all the way from India to work on urine drying for their bachelor’s thesis. During their bachelors program, both Chinmoy and Anooj have been doing research on sanitation, working with nutrient recovery as well as removal of pharmaceutical residues from human urine. A keen interest in sanitation and hygiene technologies brings them to our group at SLU for a 3-months long internship that began in December. Over the course of the internship, they will be involved in ongoing projects related to process modelling, intensification, and optimization.
Water & Wastewater Speciality in the Journal Frontiers in Environmental Science
A new section about water and wastewater has been launched as a speciality section in the journal, Frontiers in Environmental Science. Björn VinnerÄs together with the co-chief editor, Prof. Paolo Perona and the members of the editorial board welcome contributions to the journal. We aim at publishing pioneering, high-quality research in key areas of integrated and sustainable water and wastewater resources management. These include, for instance, uses and processes involving surface- and groundwater bodies, engineering techniques with a focus on upstream work, virtual water networks, innovative water and wastewater treatment solutions in humid, semiarid and arid regions, analytical and numerical modelling as well as the use of innovative algorithms devoted to the analysis of big-datasets. For more information see the following blog post: https://blog.frontiersin.org/2018/12/12/making-waves-paolo-perona-and-bjorn-vinneras-lead-new-water-related-section-in-frontiers-in-environmental-science/ Or directly at the home of the section, available at this link
Insects fed on waste as fish feed
As part of the result of the Vinnova financed project Five tonnes of fishes in different dishes that aims at producing fish reared exclusively on Swedish produced feed, fish reared on insect based protein were tested and evaluated against fish reared on conventional fish feed. The protein in the test feed comprised of a 1:1 mixture of pea and insect protein. The insects (black soldier fly larvae) were fed stale bread. In total, 25 kg of rainbow trout in this first trial. To the joy of all, the fish fed with insects tasted really well, which suggest that it is feasible that insect can be a part of sustainable Swedish fish feed in the future. 
Nature awareness champions competition participants visit
Participants of the âNaturvetarmĂ€starnaâ competition in knowledge in natural sciences from 9th grade of Rosendalsgymnasiet visited our group at the Fly Larvae Composting Laboratory.
Björn VinnerÄs, leader of the Environmental Engineering group, is introducing our vision and different directions of our research to the visitors. Photo: Evgheni Ermolaev.
The vision is to develop and evaluate technological solutions for safe and sustainable nutrient recycling from waste and wastewater to agriculture in a circular system.
The demonstration included two of several systems that the group is developing: organic waste management using black soldier fly larvae composting and sustainable fertilizer production through urine drying. Both system designs and components were presented and sparked multiple questions and discussions with the engaged pupils.
Working with K-12 pupils is a part of the ongoing group effort to introduce sustainable environmental engineering approaches to society and help in the effort of Sweden reaching the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Contact
Evgheni Ermolaev