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31 December 2019
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Story Dr Cindé Greyling
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Photo Anja Aucamp
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.
Three netball players in USSA Dream Team
2016-07-26
Alicia Puren and the UFS netball team lost 43-44 against
the Pukke in the USSA semi-finals in Cape Town.
Photo: Johan Roux
Although they could not improve on 2015’s second place, the Kovsies were still rewarded. After the USSA tournament, held from 4 to 8 July 2016 in Cape Town, three netball players from the University of the Free State (UFS) were included in the Dream Team. They were the captain Tanya Mostert, vice-captain Khomotso Mamburu, and Alicia Puren.
Mostert and her team had to settle for third place, after losing narrowly to Pukke 43-44 in a semi-final. They beat Maties 45-42 to win the bronze medal. Earlier, they had outplayed the University of Johannesburg (64-38) and Pukke (59-40), but lost against Tuks 48-49.
Women’s hockey team finish fourth
The UFS women’s hockey team had to settle for the fourth place at the USSA tournament in Johannesburg after they lost to Maties 2-4 in the match for the third place.
The UFS men’s team was sixth overall in the City of Gold.
Shimlas suffer several narrow defeats
After a number of narrow defeats, the Shimlas unfortunately only managed one USSA victory in East London, ending fifth overall. They lost against Maties (29-31) and Pukke (29-31), but beat Ikeys (25-0).
UFS squash team won B Division
Maryke Coetzee from Kovsies won the individual competition in the women’s B Division at the USSA squash tournament in Stellenbosch. The UFS was the overall winner in Division B.
The Kovsie women’s basketball team finished sixth at the USSA tournament in Johannesburg, with the men in the 13th place.
- The UFS did not send badminton and volleyball teams, as planned, to Stellenbosch and Pretoria, respectively.