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31 December 2019 | Story Dr Cindé Greyling | Photo Anja Aucamp
Patents
Dr Mariana Erasmus, SAENSE Platform Manager, says water remediation is vital for both the ecosystem and industries.

KovsieInnovation at the UFS supports innovative research outputs in various ways – one of which is to protect the intellectual property and to register patents where viable. This is in line with KovsieInnovation’s broader aim to create third-stream income for the university. Patent registration is a complex process and the UFS is proud to have the needed expertise to properly facilitate such an endeavour.

The SAENSE Platform

South Africa is a water-scarce country, with many water hungry industries (such as agriculture and mining). “Industrial processes often contaminate water with heavy metals, harmful chemicals, radioactive waste, and even organic sludge,” Dr Mariana Erasmus, SAENSE Platform Manager, explains.

Hence, water remediation is vital for both the ecosystem and industries. One of the key functions of the SAENSE Platform is to offer water-remedial solutions for the (bio)remediation of nitrates, heavy metals, and salts, among others. The platform’s activities and services are supported by undergraduate and postgraduate students and researchers, using Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) funding. TIA is a national public entity that serves as key institutional intervention to bridge the innovation chasm between research and development.

From waste to water

Through the joint effort of two mining companies and the UFS/TIA SAENSE Research Platform, a new treatment for mine drainage (MD) has been developed. This patented B-DAS (Barium – Dispersed Alkaline Substrate) technology effectively treats the major contaminants found in acid, alkaline, or neutral mining wastewater. The aim of the B-DAS system is to provide a passive water-treatment solution with minimum waste production; it can also be a potential pre-treatment for reverse osmosis (RO) to lower the requirements of the membranes and therefore potentially reduce the RO cost.

The success of the patent is that it turns unusable water into water that is fit for agricultural purposes at a reduced cost and increased efficiency.

News Archive

Children with diabetes learn from each other
2012-05-08

 

Young diabetes patients.
Photo: Supplied
8 May 2012


Children with diabetes often think they are the only ones who live with this condition. For this reason, the Department of Pediatrics and Child Health from the UFS, in cooperation with our Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, annually offers a camping weekend in Bloemfontein for young diabetic patients.

This fun-filled yet informative weekend was held at Emoya Estate in Bloemfontein recently. This is the fourth year that it has been held. During the weekend, the children learnt how to be a “child” along with other children.

“Children with diabetes have many emotional issues that they must work through,” says Dr Ute Hallbauer of the Department of Pediatrics and Child Health.

 “Diabetes is a daily challenge for these children. During the camp, we try to make the children feel special and teach them how to take care of themselves.”

Twenty-six children between the ages of 9 and 14, who receive treatment in the public and private sector, attended the camp this year.

Dr Hallbauer says children as young as 12 months and even younger can be diagnosed with diabetes.

“They usually have Type I diabetes. This autoimmune disease destroys insulin producing cells in the pancreas. Thus the young children are insulin dependent and they have to, depending on their treatment, inject themselves daily. They must also test their blood sugar levels daily.”
 

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