Excellent video clip from our collaborators in Ethiopia describing the water quality challenges in the Akaki River Basin.
Akaki River Catchment Video
Reply
Category Archives: Uncategorised
Coconut husk biochar amendment enhances nutrient retention by suppressing nitrification in agricultural soil following anaerobic digestate application
Research by Jidapa (Aom) Plaimart shows that the combined application of digestate with coconut husk biochar is a promising biotechnology for sustainable agriculture, promoting the circular re-use of agricultural waste residues, in addition to renewable energy generation. Read her article in Environmental Pollution.
Chlorination effects on DNA based characterization of water microbiomes and implications for the interpretation of data from disinfected systems
Kishor, with our colleagues in Tanzania, has published an article in the Journal of Environmental Management showing that DNA fragments are much more resilient under chlorination than intact cells or culturable bacteria. Consequently, complementary plate count methods remain essential for the correct interpretation of molecular data for disinfected waters. An important insight gained from the IMAGINE project.
Water quality lab in a suitcase
We have assembled small equipment items into a water quality lab that fits into a suitcase. The suitcase lab enables 16S rRNA gene amplicon based characterization of millions of bacteria in water samples, almost anywhere in the world. A fantastic outcome of our collaboration with colleagues in Ethiopia.
Prize winning SDG6 websites
Every year I have the privilege of working with talented CivEng students on their MEng/BEng projects. This year, MEng student Joseph Lazenby developed a fantastic website to interpret and share water quality information with the public, while BEng student Maximillian Ballard produced a BEng project prize-winning website on sanitation solutions. Well done, both!
Kishor wins Rapid Response Funding
Dr Kishor Acharya was awarded a Rapid Response Grant from the Global Challenge Academy to work with the Addis Ababa Water and Sewerage Authority (AAWSA), Addis Ababa University and the International Water Management Institute, in Ethiopia. The project aim is to share best practice for personnel working in the collection, treatment and management of wastewater.
Chemosphere paper: Enzymatic tetracycline degradation
Yifei, Jiangkun and Sanjeeb have successfully published a first outcome of our trinational collaboration with the China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, and the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, on using enzymes to degrade antibiotics in wastewater treatment plant effluent.
EnvPol paper: Soil microbial community response to petroleum pollution
Congratulations to Dr George Mangse, who has published a paper from his PhD in the journal Environmental Pollution. George is now an academic in the Department of Biological Sciences, Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja.
Top 100 in Microbiology
Kishor’s MinION paper, published on Oct 31st, was among the Top 100 Downloaded Scientific Reports papers in Microbiology in 2019.
New BBSRC/NERC research translation award to continue our collaboration with KMUTT on aquaculture
A new research translation award by the BBSRC and NERC will enable us to continue our productive collaboration with Prof Soydoa Vinitnantharat and her team at KMUTT in Thailand. The topic of the award is “A Framework for Sustainable Aquaculture within Peri-Urban Green Infrastructures Protecting the Gulf of Thailand”. The project focuses on engagement with the stakeholders in government and aquaculture practitioners.
