Programme de bourses "Echanges Universitaires"

Effect of Salinity on Treatment Efficiency and Nutritive Value of Echinochloa pyramidalis (Lam.) Hitchc & Chase: A Forage Plant Used for Treating Faecal Sludge in Vertical-Flow Constructed Wetlands - Visit of Miss Marie-Madeleine Ngoutane Pare at EAWAG/SANDEC

In the framework of the collaboration between the University of Yaoundé I and the Department of Water and Sanitation in Developing Countries (Sandec) at the Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology in Switzerland (Eawag), Miss NGOUTANE PARE has conducted a scientific visit in Switzerland from January to July 2009. Co-directed by Professor Amougou Akoa of the University of Yaoundé I and Dr. Doulaye Koné of EAWAG/SANDEC, her thesis is entitled "Factors influencing the nutritional value of Echinochloa pyramidalis Hitchc. & Chase used in the treatment of wastewater and sludge drain filter planted ". This PhD is focused on the development of a friendly environmentally sanitation technology adapted to the socio-economic context of developing countries while treating wastewater and faecal sludge. The approach of this PhD research is to link sanitation and food security in order to ensure the sustainability of investments. It is assumed to link sanitation technology to urban food production systems.

Constructed wetlands for wastewater and faecal sludge treatment are cost effective treatment that can be very useful in developing countries, since they are simple technology and involve low operational costs. To date, the technology is not well-developed in developing countries where effective, low cost treatment options are critically needed. They have enormous potential of application in these countries with warm tropical and subtropical climates favorable for higher biological activity and productivity. However, to be effective, the implementation of this technology in developing countries needs to follow the appropriate context of these countries. They may successfully establish with plant species acclimated to the treatment environment and able to be harvested for use in the secondary functions such as fuel production, compost, fertilizers ...etc. In developing countries, the use of market- value plants in constructed wetlands may add financial benefits besides treating wastewater and faecal sludge and can also be considered as valuable opportunities such as production of safety forage and wastewater recycling which may provide a long-term sustainable investment of in sanitation infrastructure. In Cameroon, E. pyramidalis worldwide forage appears to fulfill most requirements necessary for the macrophytes to be used in constructed wetlands and its use were proved to be a highly technical feasible way of treating wastewater and faecal sludge. Integrated macrophyte-based wastewater and faecal sludge treatment systems may lead to production of meat by feeding animal and the development of this system can be regarded as the first step in the redirection of development of systems in which waste products could be considered as a valuable resource which can be utilize for many purposes instead to be a merely products which should be disposed everywhere.

Therefore, this PhD project aims at studying the physical and chemical parameters that influence the nutritional value of Echinochloa pyramidalis, fodder plant used as a support material in wastewater and sludge treatment as well as its economic value.During her scientific visit and collaborative work at Eawag/Sandec under a supervision of Dr. Doulaye Koné from January to July 2009; three manuscripts were finalized for submission to scientific journals for publications:

• Market and nutritive value of Echinochloa pyramidalis grown in treatment wetlands: Opportunity to link sanitation to food security;
  
• Growth, physiological and biochemical changes on Echinochloa pyramidalis (Lam.) Hitchc & Chase in responses to salinity;
  
• Effect of salinity on the nutritive value of Echinochloa pyramidalis (Lam.) Hitchc & Chase forage plant fed with faecal sludge supernatant.

After the scientific publications writing, the last phase of PhD research was discussed and clearly defined in the regards of the first results obtained.

                
                 Small-scale units of vertical-flow constructed wetlands

                
                 Forage supply by city dweller (Yaoundé-Cameroon)

Contacts

In Switzerland

Dr. Koné Doulaye
Programme Leader, Excreta and Water Management
Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Sciences and Technology (Eawag)
Department of Water and Sanitation in Developing Countries (Sandec)
Überlandstrasse 133 P.O. Box 611
8600 Dübendorf-Switzerland
Phone: + 41 (0)44 823 55 53
E-Mail: Doulaye.Kone@eawag.ch
http://www.sandec.eawag.ch/FaecalSludge/

In Cameroon

Ngoutane Pare Marie-Madeleine
PhD student,
University of Yaoundé I Cameroon and Eawag/Sandec
University of Yaoundé I; Faculty of Science
Wastewater Research Unit P.O. Box
8404 Yaoundé - Cameroon
E-Mail: marypare@yahoo.fr

Prof. Amougou Akoa
Head of Department of Plant Biology University of Yaoundé (I)
Faculty of Science
P.O. Box: 812 Yaoundé - Cameroon
E-Mail: amougakoa@yahoo.com