Keeping it cheap and simple. This is the goal of a group of CPUT researchers who are developing cost-effective methods to treat winery wastewater.

Wineries in the Western Cape produce huge amounts of wastewater; however, small-scale farmers cannot afford to implement sophisticated and costly wastewater treatment systems.

The researchers hope to provide small-scale wineries with a simple method to deal effectively with winery wastewater in order to comply with legislative and ecological requirements, says scientist Pamela Welz, from the Biocatalysis and Technical Biology (BTB) research group.

Together with researchers at the University of the Western Cape, the BTB group is experimenting with a winery wastewater treatment system that relies on microorganisms to degrade organic molecules, a process known as biodegradation.

To treat the wastewater, researchers have set up several biological sand filter systems that contain locally-available sand types and are fed with synthetic winery wastewater on a weekly basis. A range of tests are conducted weekly to monitor the biodegradation process. To date, the results are promising.

Welz says the system is simple to operate and requires little maintenance.

“Currently, commercially available polyethylene tanks (1 m x 2 m) containing locally-available sand comprise the experimental systems at CPUT. Installation of similar full-scale systems is a feasible and extremely cost-efficient option,” she says

The team, which comprises of scientists and engineers, is now looking at finalizing the design of a pilot-scale system that will be installed and tested at a local wine farm in 2014.

*The project is funded by the Water Research Commission of South Africa and CPUT.

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

The Biocatalysis and Technical Biology (BTB) research group has set up a state-of-the-art regional research facility.

Thanks to a substantial donation from the National Research Foundation and CPUT, the BTB research group has purchased and set up a Liquid Chromatograph - Mass Spectrometer (LC-MS) machine at their Bellville-based unit.

This specialised machine is used to identify and analyse small organic compounds that are found in a number of substances, ranging from water to packaging material.

The machine is highly sought after in industry, with only a few universities in South Africa housing such facilities.

Head of the BTB research group, Dr Marilize Le Roes-Hill, says the machine along with other research equipment, has been set up as a regional research facility, providing researchers from across South Africa access to this specialised equipment.

“A decade ago this machine was very scarce. Researchers had to send their samples overseas. This was an expensive exercise and took a very long time. As a result, research in many areas was limited,” she says.

Researchers have the option to come to the facility and learn how to operate the machine and conduct their own tests. Alternatively, they can send their samples to the facility, where CPUT researchers will conduct the necessary tests and analyses.

Dr Le Roes-Hill says this facility will open up doors for new research collaborations and will also allow CPUT researchers to broaden their scope of research.

The unit has already met with representatives from several universities, who are looking at possible collaborations with CPUT researchers.

For further information on this facility and charge rates contact Dr Tukayi Kudanga at 021 953 8497.

By Candes Keating

Written by CPUT News
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Dr Tukayi Kudanga is a researcher at heart and his sterling efforts over the past few years have been recognized by the National Research Foundation (NRF).

Based at CPUT’s Biocatalysis and Technical Biology (BTB) Research Group, Kudanga was awarded a Y2 rating.

“This is a very big achievement and a rating will open a lot of opportunities for me,” he says.

Kudanga boasts over 30 peer-reviewed articles which include two book chapters

Kudanga focuses on Biocatalysis and developed his interest in this area whilst completing his studies at Graz University of Technology in Austria.

“During my doctoral research I saw the opportunities and possible research areas in the field of Biocatalysis,” he says.

And Kudanga was spot-on, with Biocatalysis identified as a research focus area by the Department of Science and Technology.

“Biocatalysis is also outlined in CPUT’s Research and Innovation Blueprint as a key area of research,” he says

Currently Kudanga is looking at enzymatic synthesis of bioactive compounds with a focus on antioxidants.

His current project focuses on how to increase antioxidant activity of certain compounds that can prevent skin cancer.

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

Several years ago when Wighens Ngoie Ilunga enrolled for a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering he had his sights set on the mining and mineral processing industries.

However, fast forward to a laboratory at the Biocatalysis and Technical Biology (BTB) Research Group at the Bellville Campus, Ilunga can be found turning waste into a commodity, using environmentally friendly processes as part of resources recovery.

A Chemical Engineering doctoral student at CPUT, Ilunga’s focus has shifted from mining to using his skills to ensure a sustainable and safer environment. Ilunga is currently exploring how to turn solid waste sludge from edible oil industries into biodiesel, a renewable energy. This innovative study was born out of his masters’ research, which focused on industrial and domestic waste water effluents.  

INNOVATE

Although Ilunga found an innovative way to deal with the wastewater effluents during this time, he realized that some industries were still faced with the problem of disposing solid waste to landfills, especially waste sludge from wastewater treatment plants, a process that is costly for industry and contributes to pollution.

“I used waste sludge to extract monounsaturated components which are very suitable for biodiesel production and to produce bioethanol with the remaining lignocellulosic component of the same sludge. The catalyst used for the process was synthesised from mineral processing tailings, a waste from the flotation process in hydrometallurgy” he says.

“The novelties of this research are firstly the novel nanomagnetic catalyst, which can be magnetically recovered and reused. This minimizes the energy consumption when compared to conventional separation processes. Secondly, the integrated process for biodiesel production, where all raw materials are derived from waste. The use of agri-waste for energy increases food and energy security,” he added.

Currently Ilunga is conducting further testing on the catalyst and is improving the yield of biodiesel.

He plans to graduate at the end of 2017 and hopes to continue focusing on green research.

“My passion is to modify current technology or create processes that are more environmentally friendly, as well as cost effective.”

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.