Rhodes PhD student to present in Singapore

Rhodes University PhD student Prudence Mutsa Mambo will present a paper (master’s research) at Singapore International Water Week in July entitled: Towards a Sustainable Bioremediation Process for Acid Mine Drainage.

“I am both nervous and excited to present my work on an international platform," says Mambo.

"When I began my masters’ research, I did not realize that there was such an interest in the remediation of acid mine drainage. I simply noticed that there was a possibility to use discarded algae sludge as a substrate within a sulphidogenic fermenter to remediate acid mine drainage.

"When I checked the literature I noticed that no one had actually done it before. The funny thing is that it took two weeks to prove the concept, however it took two years of work to find out why it worked,” she added.

Mambo says it is a once in a life time opportunity to highlight African innovation. “It is the chance to show the world that simple ideas may be the best way to combat issues associated with sustainable development especially in developing countries.”.

She is hoping to interact with leading researchers in her field as well as to find out what technology is out there in terms of global wastewater management.

“Industry is often divorced from academia, however conferences like this one allow for industry leaders and academics to collaborate and forge relationships that have global implications and benefits. I am hoping a couple of my ideas will resonate with the right ears,” she says.

Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) is the global platform for the sharing and co-creation of innovative water solutions. Mambo’s research utilised the algal sludge generated by the Rhodes University Integrated Algae Pond System (IAPS) to remediate synthetic acid mine drainage (AMD).

Acid mine drainage is an ever increasing concern for the South African government and public, and will continue to be at the forefront of the environmental agenda until viable remediation strategies can be implemented. It is generated in copious amounts as a result of gold and coal mining

Mambo’s masters research was original because there is currently no literature on the potential use of a nutrient rich algae biomass generated by the high rate algae oxidation ponds (HRAOPs) of the IAPS as a feedstock in the sulphidogenic remediation of an industrial effluent such as AMD. The project has gathered a lot of interest as it generates a clean water stream in an environmentally as well as economically sustainable manner.

Her current PhD research is looking into sustainable wastewater remediation from a developing country’s perspective.

She says about her research, ”many people are not aware of the implications of flushing a toilet or turning on a tap (and why should they be?), however over 12 million South Africans still do not have access to adequate sanitation or potable water.”

“Because I believe in science with a conscience I am hoping to bounce ideas off my peers who are interested improving access to clean water for all. Technologies like the Integrated Algae Pond System which is located at the Institute for Environmental Biotechnology at Rhodes University, has been successfully cleaning water in Grahamstown’s effluent areas for over 15 years.

"Why this technology has not proliferated around South Africa at large will be my research,” she added.