etc team members jaya nair

J.Nair@murdoch.edu.au
Office: Wiark at ETC Site
Phone: +61 (0)8 9360 7322

Qualifications

MSc (Aquatic Biology and Fisheries), PhD (Aquaculture),
PhD (Environmental Science)

Research Interests

Drinking water Microbiology and water test kits
Wastewater reuse
On-site Wastewater Treatment
Vermicomposting
Pathogen inactivation during composting and Anaerobic digestion
H2S method as an on-site test for microbial quality of drinking water
Efficiency of silver oxide for disinfecting Legionella sp, E.coli and Salmonella typhimurium.
Evaluation of the microbial quality of rainwater stored in tanks
Testing borewater using the H2S method
Aquaponics as a method for treatment and reuse of domestic wastewater

Projects

Wastewater treatment

Grey water and black water can be treated on site through various onsite treatment systems available such as the Biomax and Biolytix systems. The treated effluent to the secondary effluent quality can be used for irrigation, saving huge amounts of scheme water over time and also reduce the chemical fertiliser applications. The nutrient contamination of ground water and water ways through leaching of chemical fertiliser can also be restricted to a great extent through on site use of treated domestic effluent. While using treated domestic wastewater onsite, the risk of pathogen contamination to the environment, soil and plant parts need to be considered seriously.

At Environmental Technology Centre, research is being undertaken to study those aspects in detail. The Biolytix onsite wastewater treatment system based on vermifiltration is studied in depth. The project tests the efficiency of the vermifiltration method to treat household chemicals which if left untreated could cause environmental pollution on long term land application. The PhD project is in the early stages of this study.

Above: Biolytix wastewater treatment system under study (PhD Project: Robert Hughes)

Wastewater hydroponics

In urban and arid regions, growing vegetables and flowers locally to meet the local demands is highly difficult due to water and land restrictions. The use of treated effluent for growing vegetables and flowers through the method of hydroponics could help the situation to a great extent. Wastewater hydroponics research currently undertaken at ETC is intended to utilise the technique of hydroponics to maximum reuse secondary treated domestic wastewater for growing flowers and vegetables without the risk of pathogen contamination. The PhD research currently undertaken is aimed to benefit lifestyle villages, arid regions and urban areas committed to conserve and reuse water onsite for beneficial purposes.

Above: Wastewater hydroponics research (PhD Project: Noraisha Oyama)

Solid organic waste treatment

At Environmental Technology Centre, basic and applied research on solid waste treatment using composting and vermicomposting is undertaken. The research aims to standardise and optimise the process of solid waste composting. The studies take pathogen quality of the product into consideration to ensure the safety of the product on application to house gardens. The projects on pathogen quality of the compost from vermicomposting toilets, kitchen waste treatment using vermicomposting, effect of Pre-Composting on Vermicomposting, improving quality and value of biosolids compost through vermicomposting, microbial and enzyme activities during vermicomposting are some of the projects currently being undertaken.

Above: Vermicomposting of household waste (International Trainee: Julia Klein from Germany with Dr Nair and Derek Hobbs of Barefoot Engineering)

Pathogen inactivation during composting and anaerobic treatment of waste

Monitoring the health risk and assessing the pathogen inactivation is an important aspect for onsite organic waste treatment and reuse systems. At ETC, this research is undertaken for solid waste treatment through composting. Anaerobic digestion is a very effective method of waste treatment. The thermophilic stage particularly is considered to inactivate pathogens efficiently though the pathogen inactivation in mesophilic stage is not very effective. Research is being undertaken to study the conditions of anaerobic digestion required for maximum inactivation of pathogens.

Above: Otti Bajsa in pathogen research (PhD Project)

Drinking water microbiology and tests