IN-GROUND: Inexpensive monitoring of Groundwater pollution in Urban African Districts

This NERC sponsored international collaboration between researchers in Tanzania and the United Kingdom will develop and test an inexpensive microbial fuel cell biosensor, for the on-site, real time, monitoring of urban groundwater quality. The biosensor will be able to detect water pollution emanating from different sources such as pit latrines. The project will focus on monitoring urban areas, as latrine coverage and the related groundwater pollution affects, proportionally, more people than in rural areas. It is estimated that 70% of urban settlements in Tanzania are unplanned. The problems of urban unplanned areas include lack of centralised sewerage and the inaccessibility of emptying services for onsite technologies.

For more details please contact Dr Sharon Valesquez-Orta.

Publications

1. Varia, J., Bio-electrochemical Systems for the Remediation of Metal-ion Effluents. 2012.

2. Varia, J.C., et al., Bioelectrochemical metal remediation and recovery of Au3+, Co2+ and Fe3+ metal ions. Electrochimica Acta, 2013. 95(0): p. 125-131.

3. Varia, J.C., et al., Microbiological influence of metal ion electrodeposition: Studies using graphite electrodes, [AuCl4]− and Shewanella putrefaciens. Electrochimica Acta, 2014. 115(0): p. 344-351.

4. Varia, J., et al., Shewanella putrefaciens for the remediation of Au3+, Co2+ and Fe3+ metal ions from aqueous systems. Biochemical Engineering Journal, 2014. 85(0): p. 101-109.