Prithvi Simha, PhD student at the Kretsloppsteknik group attended a course on research-policy interaction at the Gothenburg Centre for Sustainable Development (GMV). The course was given as part of the ‘Water Research School‘ for PhD students in Sweden, of which several candidates from our group are part of. The course involved creating a research-to-policy plan related to Prithvi’s PhD research on urine dehydration, understanding models for stakoholder interaction and learning to effectively communicate with policymakers. Course participants also got to hear from Johan Kuylenstierna, former CEO of Stockholm Environmental Institute, on his personal experiences of science-policy interaction. 
Course participants from the Water Research School; PC – Linda Kanders
Molecular Methods course in Finland
Jenna Senecal attended a course on Molecular Methods for Detection of Food- and Waterborne Pathogens in Helsinki, Finland (04.03.2018-08.03.2018). The course was taught and attended by top researchers from the Nordic countries. She learned about the latest available technologies for DNA extraction and analyses being used for detecting pathogenic strains of viruses, bacteria and parasites.
Group Photo with PCR
SPANS project work in Uganda
There is a lot going in the SPANS project in Uganda right now.
We have started demonstration units of nutrient-recovery treatment technologies for fecal sludge at the Luibgi wastewater treatment plant in Kampala. Two MSc students from Luleå University of Technology are currently operating demonstration units for treatment with lime and urea. The students are collecting and analyzing samples to determine if the technologies are functioning properly with regard to reduction of public and environmental health risks. They are also doing interviews with workers at the wastewater treatment plant and other stakeholders to understand the levels of acceptance and feasibility of implementing such technologies within the existing management structures. Soon two students from Makerere University will be starting a demonstration unit with Black Soldier Fly composting at the wastewater treatment plant.
Sanitation Round Table meeting in Nairobi, Kenya
SLU and IAS (International Aid services) jointly hosted a round table meeting on the 25th of January in Nairobi, Kenya. Different stakeholders such as local politicians, NGOs and researchers took part in the meeting, to discuss how to jointly solve the sanitation situation in Africa’s largest urban slum, Nairobi’s Kibera.
Participants of the round table meeting. PC: Sheila Gatumu
Course in modular fly larvae treatment: rearing and composting
Foto: Evgheni Ermolaev
Date: 14/3-2018, 9 – 16
Location: Campus Ultuna (Biosfären och Flugväxthuset), Uppsala
Price: 5000 SEK/person
Under this one-day course the course delegates will be presented with a general introduction to fly larvae treatment, including both the fly rearing and composting steps. We will present the theory behind the different steps of the module based fly larvae treatment and practical exercises on handling of larvae, pupae and flies. The course will be given in English.
Kurs i modulbaserad fluglarvsbehandling: fluglarvskompostering och flugodling
Foto: Evgheni Ermolaev
Datum: 14/3-2018, 9 – 16
Plats: Ultuna campus (Biosfären och Flugväxthuset), Uppsala
Pris: 5000 kr/person
Under denna endagsutbildning ger vi dig som deltagare en övergripande introduktion till fluglarvskompostering och flugodling. Vi går igenom teorin i de olika stegen i modulbaserad fluglarvskompostering och därtill hörande storskalig flugodling följt av praktiska övningar i hantering av larver, puppor och flugor. Kursen kommer till stora delar att vara på engelska. Vid internationellt deltagande kommer hela kursen att hållas på engelska.
Kandidatpresentation: Växthusgasutsläpp från fluglarvskompostering
Foto: Viktoria Wiklicky
Frida Erlöv kommer att hålla sin kandidatpresentation om växthusgasutsläpp från fluglarvskompostering 22 Februari kl 14 i Ekoln. Håkan Jönsson är examinator.
Referat
Fluglarvskompostering med den Amerikanska vapenflugan (Hermetia illucens) har visat sig vara en effektiv behandlingsmetod som genererar flera produkter av värde, såsom djurfoder och organiskt gödningsmedel eller biobränslen. Behandling med larver av den Amerikanska vapenflugan har därmed potentialen att bidra till en miljömässigt positiv och ekonomiskt lönsam återvinning av de biologiska restprodukter som finns i vårt samhälle. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka växthusgasutsläpp från fluglarvskompostering samt jämföra dessa med aerob termofil kompostering. Detta för att i senare studier kunna bedöma den totala miljöpåverkan av fluglarvskompostering. För att uppnå detta mättes gasutsläpp från tre olika fluglarvskomposteringsbehandlingar: en med endast fluglarver och två där det även tillsattes nedbrytande fluglarvsspecifika bakterier utöver själva fluglarverna. Utöver gasutsläpp mättes även olika parametrar i materialet (pH, skrymdensitet, kompostmognad, vattenhalt, glödförlust och total kväve) för att kunna jämföra de olika behandlingarna och för att få en ökad förståelse för de processer som ägt rum.
Bachelor thesis presentation: Greenhouse gas emissions from fly larvae composting
Foto: Viktoria Wiklicky
Frida Erlöv will present her Bachelor thesis about Greenhouse gas emissions from fly larvae composting on 22 February at 2 pm in Ekoln. Håkan Jönsson is the examinor. The presentation will be held in Swedish.
Abstract
Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) composting have proven to be very effective in degradation of organic waste products, while generating valuable products, such as animal feed and organic fertilizers or biofuels. Treatment with black soldier fly larvae has thereby a potential to contribute to a more environmental friendly and economically viable management of biological waste fractions. The aim of this study was to measure greenhouse gas emissions from black soldier fly composting and to compare these with emissions from thermophilic aerobic composting. Gas emissions from three different black soldier fly larvae composts were measured: one with only larvae and two in which specific fly larvae bacteria were added as well as the larvae. In addition, various parameters (pH, bulk density, compost maturity, total solids, organic content and total-N) were measured, to get a better understanding concerning present processes.
Professor Håkan Jönsson for the Water Prize
Photo: Julio Gonzales/SLU On March 14th, Professor Håkan Jönsson will be awarded the Water Prize by Föreningen Vatten (Society Water). “Never during my 10 years in the board of Föreningen Vatten have we received so many heavy nominations for a certain person. Most universities, organizations and individuals in the industry have shown strong support for this prize winner“, writes Marta Ahlquist-Juhlén, the chairman of Föreningen Vatten. Among others, Prof. Jönsson has actively worked to close the cycle between cities and rural areas for 25 years, and his research has made a great impression. Most well-known is his commitment to upstream solutions in wastewater systems and his work on recycling plant nutrients from wastewater to arable land.
The Future in Sanitation is off the grid!
How much water do each of us use every day? Can future sanitation systems and off-the-grid houses be designed so as to minimize energy and water consumption? Where does wastewater management fit into the waste hierarchy/pyramid? In his presentation, Björn Vinnerås, Associate Professor at SLU shares with us his vision of future housing: a future where there is ‘no need for network connections, neither electricity nor water, and nor wastewater’.
