Water management

RESEARCH COORDINATING CENTRE
INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF CATHOLIC UNIVERSITIES
(CCR-IFCU)
The CCR-IFCU’s commitment
to environmental research
in developing countries
Miquel Gassiot
Universidad Ramón Llull, Barcelona (Spain)
SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL
DEVELOPMENT OF HUMANITY
“homo sapiens”
“homo technologicus”
0
1,700,000 years
2 x 106 years
reduced to 1 year
1 January
31 December
3.18 p.m.
December
10.42 p.m.
31 December
11.46 p.m.
11.47 p.m.
11.59 p.m.
1 January
appearance of
“homo sapiens”
Start of the
Christian era
Scientific and
technological
zdevelopment covers just
0.015% of human
history
Juan Miró Chavarria, Industrial Engineer
Autonomy
science
The car
Ammonia
synthesis
Internet
Sheep cloning
Dolly
From Homo sapiens to Homo
“technologicus”: society’s immaturity
in contrast to the exponential
development of scientific knowledge
and technology
T
Scientific
Progress
T
Technological
baggage
of development
(1960)
New media
for science
Mov. of capital
New Scientific
& Technological
Progress
T
Military
Knowledge of the
environment
technologies
Obscurantism
Radical
Ecology
Alarm
bells
Globalisation
New “holism”
Assimilation and
interpretation of
information in all
its complexity
“Margalef”
Ecology
Sustainable
development
- Principles
- Reflection
- Values
- Humanism
- Interdisciplinarity
- Managing complexity
- Socioeconomic conditions
Integrating
aspects
Difficulties of dialogue between the world of
“Values” and the world of science and
technology
•
•
•
•
•
Mutual ignorance.
The singularity of the scientific method.
Scientific truth versus sciences of the Truth.
Technology: wealth creation and service.
Scientific knowledge and responsibility.
Catholic Universities are an
exceptional place for dialogue
The CCR-IFCU’s research projects
•
•
•
•
•
Social Sciences
Human Sciences
Pedagogy
Ethics, Philosophy and Theology
Experimental sciences: environment 2006
Ø Training engineers to improve soil fertility in developing countries
(2006-2009)
Ø Water management: water, environment and health (started in
2011)
Training engineers to improve
soil fertility in developing
countries (2006-2009)
Training engineers to improve soil fertility
in developing countries (2006-2009)
PARTICIPATING UNIVERSITIES
Ø
Ø
Ø
Ø
Ø
Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogota, Colombia.
Universidad Católica de Oriente, Rionegro, Colombia.
Universidad Católica de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.
Universidade Católica de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil.
Universidad Ramón Llull, Barcelona, Spain.
Training engineers to improve soil fertility
in developing countries (2006-2009)
Goals:
Scientific and technical goals
Selecting waste that can be used as a source of organic material for use in crop
soil (municipal organic waste and biosolids).
Study of microbiological, physical, chemical and structural aspects.
Obtaining high-quality compost through biotechnology.
Field studies and studies of the yield from biotechological compost.
Using this compost to grow Stevia rebaudiana.
Comparative study of the different types of compost used on acidic soils and the
capacity for exhausted ion exchange.
Supplying technical resources and specific training for teams that need it.
Training engineers to improve soil fertility
in developing countries (2006-2009)
Goals:
Socioeconomic goals
To carry out an economic, social and family study of the farming
communities collaborating on the project fieldwork.
To consider the possibility of alternative crops in response to future
challenges.
To offer alternatives to illegal crops.
Participants from Universidad Javeriana
(Bogota, Colombia)
Researchers:
Adriana Matiz (coordinator), Claudia Campos, María Mercedes Salgado, Ana K. Carrascal,
Jaime Casas, María F. Gutiérrez, María Ximena.
Master’s Degree Students: Ángela Amarillo, Edna Viviana Gutiérrez
Participants from Universidad Católica de Oriente
(Rionegro, Colombia)
Researchers:
Dragoberto Castro (coordinator), Juan Carlos Montoya Vivas, Raquel Serna, Eduardo
Pinzón. Students: Luz Stella, Alejandra Zuloaga
Participants from Universidad Ramón Llull
(Barcelona, Spain)
Researchers:
F. Broto, G. Mejia and M. Gassiot
Participants from Universidade Católica de
Pernambuco (Recife, Brazil)
Researchers:
Arminda Saconi Messias (coordinator), Alexandra Amorin Salgueiro, Aline Elesbao de
Nacimiento, Carlos Alberto Alves da Silva, Cyntia Xavier de Carvalho, Eliane Cardoso de
Vanceslaos, Galba Maria de Campos Takaki, Joaquim Romao Teodoro de Oliveira, José
Maricio Pereira, Leonie Asfora Sarubbo, Silvio Romero Ferreira de Melo, Valdemir Alexandre
dos Santos. Students: (Master’s degree students) Rafael Barboza Sá Leitao, Rosinete
Cardoso Ferreira, Adilson Bezerra da Silva, Maria dos Antojos de Jesus Barros Lopes, Bruno
Esteves Maestrado Távora, Celia Maria Alves Feitosa and Cintya Rodriguez Monte and
degree students.
Participants from Universidade Católica de Pelotas
(Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil)
Researchers:
Lucio André de Oliveira Fernández and Luciana Bizca Dode (coordinators), Jander Luis
Fernández Monks, Marcelo Dutra, William Peres, Tânia Maria Moraes and Eunice Mereb.
Students: Carla Klumb Ferreira, Elvio Ricardo Porto, Silvela Arina Avila
Julio Amarat Xavier, Renata Pinto Albert, Simaia Figueredo Ferreira
Training engineers to improve soil fertility
in developing countries (2006-2009)
Yield (kg/ha)
Achievements (scientific and technical)
ØHigh-quality compost produced: U. Javeriana has managed to
produce this compost using a thermophilic inoculated biotechnological
compost. The process is carried out at 70.8ºC, which is quicker and helps
reduce pathogens.
ØUse of this compost: U. Javeriana and U. Católica de Oriente
Broccoli
crop
Bioagriculture
Biosolids
Booster
Agropaisa
Nitrates
Control
Training engineers to improve soil fertility
in developing countries (2006-2009)
Yield (kg/ha)
Achievements (scientific and technical)
ØUses of this compost: U. Javeriana and U. Católica de Oriente
Carrot
crop
Bioagriculture
Nitrates
Agropaisa
Biosolids
Booster
Sources of organic matter
“Bioagriculture” contains compost made using
the U. Javeriana technique
Control
Training engineers to improve soil fertility
in developing countries (2006-2009)
Achievements (scientific and technical)
ØUses of the inoculated compost. U. Javeriana has produced this
kind of compost using municipal organic waste from Villavicencio and has
used it to grow Stevia rabaudiana in Puerto Lopez with the following
results:
Stevia harvest with compost (30 tonnes/ha): 1538 kg/ha
Stevia harvest without compost:
477 kg/ha
ØOil palm crop.
Results:
Use of 15 to 30 tonnes/ha of inoculated compost produces the same
yield as synthetic fertiliser (N-P-K-Mg) in a proportion of kg/ha.
ØWe have found that this inoculated compost is free of pathogens:
Salmonella sp.; less than 1000 faecal coliform bacteria/g, etc.
Training engineers to improve soil fertility
in developing countries (2006-2009)
Achievements (scientific and technical)
ØStudy of sludge or biosolids. U. Católica de Pernambuco
has carried out trials with proportions of 0, 25, 50 and 75 tonnes
biosolids/ha of soil. The crops are: green beans, peppers and açai palm.
The conclusion reached is that the best proportion is 25 to 50
tonnes/ha.
ØThe study of biosolids from a water purification plant has produced
very interesting details about soils to which these biosolids are added
with reference to their physiochemical, microbiological and geotechnical
characteristics.
ØThe Eisenia foetida worm has been successfully used in biosolid
composting.
Training engineers to improve soil fertility
in developing countries (2006-2009)
Achievements (university collaboration)
ØMaking the project known in the participating universities. The list
of all those who have taken part in this work: lecturers, researchers,
collaborators and students totals 125 people who participated, were
trained and learned about the IFCU through this project.
ØIf we added the farmers and engineers involved in the fieldwork to this
figure there would be far more than 125.
ØAn international and intercontinental network of scientific
collaboration has been set up between the participating universities.
Training engineers to improve soil fertility
in developing countries (2006-2009)
Training engineers to improve soil fertility
in developing countries (2006-2009)
Training engineers to improve soil fertility
in developing countries (2006-2009)
Water management:
Water, the environment and
health
(project started in October 2011)
Water management
Participating universities:
Ø Universidade Católica de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.
Ø Universidade Católica do Parana, Curitiba, Brazil.
Ø Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto
Alegre, Brazil.
Ø Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogota, Colombia.
Ø Universidad Católica de Córdoba, Cordoba, Argentina.
Ø Universidad Ramón Llull de Barcelona, Spain.
Project kick-off meeting: 3 and 4 October 2011
in Río de Janeiro.
Water management
Goals
Ø To create a framework document to facilitate effective
collaboration between the participating universities,
which is sufficiently broad to cover the specific problems
and challenges each university will face.
Ø A unique contribution from each participant in the project
in accordance with specific water-related problems in
each university’s region. Pooling and transferring
information, specialised know-how, technologies and
tools between participating universities.
Ø Environmental sustainability training in water use by the
corresponding university communities.
Water management
Drafting the Framework Document
or State of the art (1)
Ø Chemistry and physics of water: The water
cycle.
Ø Availability: surface water, seawater, coastal
water and groundwater.
Ø Hydrography of the participating teams’ regions.
Ø Drinking water: drinking water treatment and
regulations.
Ø Sewage: regulations
Ø Irrigation water: regulations.
Water management
Drafting the Framework Document
or State of the art (2)
Ø Groundwater
Ø Seawater
Ø Water and energy
Ø Glossary
Water management
Coordinating researchers from each university
ØUniversidade Católica de Pernambuco.
Arminda Saconi.
ØUniversidade Católica do Paraná.
Carlos Mello.
ØUniversidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul.
Betina Bloctein.
ØPontificia Universidad Javeriana.
Claudia Campos and Carlos Daza.
ØUniversidad Católica de Córdoba.
Maria Alejandra Bustamante and Adriana Welter.
ØUniversidad Ramón Llull.
Miquel Gassiot
Water management
Initial partial results presented
in the meeting on 5 and 6 October 2012
at Universidad Católica de Córdoba
Ø Presentation of the document: State of the art in correct
management of fresh water as a public good that must be
sustainable. Presented by Dr Claudia Campos and Dr
Armida Saconi with contributions from all participating
universities.
Ø Presentation of a Glossary of terms.
Ø Presentation of progress reports on the specific
contributions from participating universities.
Water management
Progress reports:
Ø Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul: Ideal
environmental design for the location and distribution of
dams in the Yacuy river basin. Presentation by Prof.
Nelson Ferreira.
Ø Universidade Católica do Parana: Revitalisation of the
Belem river, which the university campus is in the basin
of. Presentation by Prof. Carlos Mello.
Ø Universidade Católica de Pernambuco: Socioenvironmental study of the Capibaribe river basin and
study of the “Moringa oleifera” species in water
clarification. By Prof. Arminda Saconi
Water management
Progress reports:
Ø Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogota:
Assessment of the “Fenton” process through
photocatalysis with titanium bioxide using activated
carbon sourced from plants to eliminate organic matter
from sewage. By Prof. Carlos Daza.
Ø Universidad Católica de Córdova: Decontamination of
sewage dumped in San Roque lake. Pilot plant to purify
sewage with ‘biodiscs’. By Prof. Alejandra Bustamante
and Prof. Adriana Werter.
Water management
Decisions taken:
Ø To standardise chemical and biological analytical
methods.
Ø To carry out all possible intercalibrations.
Ø To finish the document: State of the art in correct
management of fresh water as a public good that must
be sustainable. To consider publishing this interesting
report internationally as an initial result of the project.
Ø Next project meeting: Universidad Javeriana de
Bogotá, October this year.
Water management
The CCR-IFCU’s commitment
to environmental research
in developing countries
Catholic Universities are an
exceptional place for dialogue
Ø Commitment to collaboration and service at all levels
(booklets).
Ø Serving communities takes priority over the
researchers’ CVs.
Ø The nature and quality of the results obtained with
reference to the financial resources invested.
Ø Keywords: Excellence and generosity