| SQU academics edit IJES journal |
MUSCAT A special issue of the International Journal of Environmental Studies (IJES) on greywater has been edited by two academics from Sultan Qaboos University’s (SQU) College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences.
The IJES special issue was published in February by the Routledge Taylor and Francis Group.
The release function of the special issue was held in connection with World Water Day celebrations at SQU on March 23. Mushtaque Ahmed and SA Prathapar, academics from the Soils-Water-Agricultural Engineering Department of SQU are the editors of the special issue.
The issue contains 11 papers highlighting various greywater-related issues such as treatment systems, use of greywater and its impact on soils, socio-economic feasibility, greywater use in Kuwait and in the Middle East and North Africa region.
The contributors are from Oman, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Australia, and Israel. This issue is an outcome of the recently completed His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said’s strategic research project on ‘Greywater Reuse Potential in Oman’.
A large portion of the domestic wastewater is considered greywater, which is defined as water that has been used for washing dishes, laundering clothes or bathing. Under most conditions, it would be possible to reuse greywater with minimal treatment. Water for domestic use is produced at a very high cost.
Domestic wastewater (combined greywater and blackwater) is also treated at high cost and then used for limited irrigation.
If greywater is separated from blackwater, likely benefits will include water savings, reduction in wastewater treatment costs, and reduction in groundwater pollution and will have positive environmental and economic benefits, says Mushtaque Ahmed.
The research project was conducted with the objectives to quantify greywater production in urban Omani households and mosques, characterise important water quality parameters and design simple treatment systems.
Results show high degree of variability of greywater production and its quality from individual households and mosques. Experimental data show that a simple treatment system combining aeration, sand filtration and chlorination will be able to meet the existing Omani reuse standards.
The project was very successful in achieving its objectives. Prathapar and Ahmed both worked in the project as principal investigator and co-principal investigator respectively. The project resulted in awarding of four MS degrees, publication of five journals and 12 conference papers. The project also attracted support of the Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources and the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs. Prathapar is presently the dean of the College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences and has years of international experience in the management of water resources.
Ahmed has spent last 12 years teaching and research experience at SQU and his research focus has been in the areas of water quality and treatment; desalination; salinity management; water saving technologies and oil production water management. For more than 30 years, the IJES has been pre-eminent in its field. The journal can be accessed through www.informa-world.com-/IJES and a searchable sample copy of this journal is available free of charge. Michael Brett-Crowther is the editor of this journal who recently visited SQU in connection with the observance of World Water Day 2008.
Oman Tribune
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