A novel, high-rate, anaerobic digester to treat high-solids waste ensuring reuse and good sanitation planning

摘要

A consortium of UK universities is working on developing a novel anaerobic digester that will treat pitlatrine waste and transform it into a safe and valuable product. Physico-chemical characteristics of freshhuman waste and pit latrine sludge are being determined. This is informing the development of abioreactor containing biofilms, or slimes, of several microbial ‘trophic’ groups growing preferentially ondistinct surfaces and materials. The ecologically-engineered bioreactor design will optimise theefficiency of the treatment and underpin successful digestion of high-solids waste. The potential use of thedigestate will be reused in agriculture to recycle nutrients and prevent environmental, and watercoursepollution. Attitudes to sanitation, as well as to resource recovery from, and reuse of, waste, are beinginvestigated so the participatory sanitation planning process can work effectively.