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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.
Centre for Accounting receives a grading of 1 from SAICA
2007-11-02
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The Centre for Accounting at the University of the Free State (UFS) recently became the first university in South Africa to receive a grading of 1 during a monitoring visit of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA). Altogether 14 universities in South Africa are accredited with SAICA. These universities are visited by SAICA over a period of five years during which criteria are set by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). Only four universities must still be monitored this year. So far most of the universities visited received a grading of 2. The centre was especially complimented in the report on its top quality lecturers and creative programme development to accommodate all students. The students at the centre reacted positively on service delivery in focus groups. Here are, from the left: Prof. Tienie Crous (Dean of the UFS Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences), Prof. Ronell Britz (Head of the UFS Centre for Accounting) and Prof. Hentie van Wyk (Programme Director of the UFS Centre for Accounting).
Photo: Supplied
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