BRICS meeting: University of South Africa, Johannesburg
BRICS partners from Brazil and Russia visited the South Africa counterparts from the Institute of Nanotechnology and Water Sustainability (iNanoWS), College of Science, Engineering and Technology, University of South Africa at the Science Campus from the 8th to the 10th of May.
Activities started off with a project meeting on the morning of the 8th of May. Present from Brazil were Prof Andrea, Prof Salatiel, Prof Alvaro and Prof Marco António. From Russia, Prof Alexey. Unfortunately, Prof Tao had to cancel at the last minute. The South African team consisted of Prof Lueta, Prof Richard Moutlaoli, Prof Lawrence Madikizela, Prof Machawe Motsa and Dr Ilunga Kamika. Prof Machawe from iNanoWS presented on work being done at our hollow fibre membrane spinning centre. Dr Ilunga (iNanoWS) presented on the prevalence of pharmaceuticals in wastewater as well as the prevalence of microbial resistance in the South African context.
Prof Alexey spoke on the performance of membranes for the removal of pharmaceuticals, while Prof Salatiel spoke on electrochemical advanced oxidation processes using chlorophyl modified TiO2 catalysts.
Discussions then continued on future areas of interest where work could be carried out jointly. This included work on Hollow Fibre membranes with Prof Volkov’s group, as well as a project involving all BRICS partners using their particular membranes or technologies and the same synthetic wastewater so as to directly compare the performances.
After lunch, we visited the iNanoWS laboratories. These included the Hollow Fibre Spinning Centre, the specialist Analytical Laboratories, and the general laboratories.
On the 9th of May, a seminar for staff members of the College of Science, Engineering and Technology as well as postgraduate students from iNanoWS was held. The speakers were Prof Volkov and Prof da Silva. Both talks elicited numerous questions, particularly from the iNanoWS students and Post Doctoral Fellows. After the seminar, informal discussions were held over lunch with several academics.
On Friday 10th of May, a site visit to a wastewater treatment plant situated in the Cradle of Humankind was done. The wastewater treatment plant uses a biological process to treat the wastewater. After the visit, lunch was had in the picturesque gardens of a nearby boutique hotel. Prof Volkov then left for the airport, while the colleagues from Brazil continued onto Hartbeespoort Dam to see the impact eutrophication and the counter measures being implemented.
