Detecting pathogens in sewage sludge

[jcmolloy]

The student-led Cambridge Development Initiative have designed and piloted an innovative sewage system to bring cheap and safe sanitation to households that are beyond the reach of the urban infrastructure. The system gathers sewage and allows it to heat up using concentration of solar energy, destroying pathogens and producing fuel in the form of methane gas and finally drying it to form fertiliser. The device should kill all pathogens and the team needs a way to sense the environmental conditions within the drum and test the resulting slurry for pathogens.

Contact: Samad Arshad

[Cyberius]

I've been quite interested in producing methane from waste. One idea to consider is to use a proportion of the methane to heat the waste.

[samadarshad]

Thanks for posting. Preferred contact method is here on git.

[ThomasM107]

Hi Samad. We spoke at the mixer last week. I'd still be interested in getting involved with this. Do you have lab space available for the project? I think as a first step maybe a temperature sensor with wireless communication would do the job - then try to incorporate fluorescence detection of live bacteria? I hav'nt built too much stuff but this seems feasible? Cheers. Thomas

[DevonKavanaugh]

If it's a closed system (batch processing or continuous flow?), detection of metabolites / bacterial waste products may be feasible (gas sensor for CO2 production, or reduction in other gases?) Would this system look at viruses / fungi as well?
I'm more familiar with bacterial pathogens and might explore changes in pH change as an indirect measure of metabolites. I could suggest further possibilities if I knew a bit more about the structure of the apparatus. Email at devonkavanaugh@gmail.com if I can be of further help.

[samadarshad]

Hi @ThomasM107 and @DevonKavanaugh , thanks for your input! (Sorry I've been away the past week).

Do you have lab space available for the project?

Although I've graduated, I could try to ask CU Engineering Department to set up a lab space in the Dyson Centre.

first step maybe a temperature sensor with wireless communication would do the job - then try to incorporate fluorescence detection of live bacteria?

This sounds like a good start.

If it's a closed system (batch processing or continuous flow?), detection of metabolites / bacterial waste products may be feasible (gas sensor for CO2 production, or reduction in other gases?)

Its an open system such that gas may escape, here's an illustration of the (desired) system, And here's part of the system, the biogas in the foreground under the greenhouse, and the EvapoDryer (without the barrel of sludge) in the background.

Would this system look at viruses / fungi as well?

I'm not completely sure what pathogens to be looking for - I'm hoping to speak with some of the team at CDI.

I'm more familiar with bacterial pathogens and might explore changes in pH change as an indirect measure of metabolites.

Thanks, that sounds brilliant, exactly the kind of understanding I need.

I'll report back once I've spoken with the team at CDI.

[samadarshad]

I've just gotten back from a phone call with the current WaSH director of CDI, Will Gayne, who is keen to collaborate. He will get back to me within 2 weeks with a brief, and open communication channels with the EvapoDryer team, which gives opportunities to test the product out in the field this coming summer.

[samadarshad]

Feedback from Judges:

Current status of project:

• awaiting brief from Will Gayne (who has landed in Tanzania last week - have prodded him and he will get back to us next couple of days. )