Namibia Conference and Workshop
Ministry of Fisheries and Resources, Swakopmund 29 - 30 April 2013

Presenter Biographies

PROF. KEITH COWAN

Keith Cowan is a Director of The Institute for Environmental Biotechnology, Rhodes University (EBRU) and is also a consultant for several chemical and agrichemical companies, research institutes, universities, and individual scientists. Prior to joining EBRU in 2008, Keith was senior scientist at Nutra-Park in Madison, WI and headed basic research on the commercialization of phospholipids. In this role, he managed research direction and scientific information transfer, and championed company and research outcomes to industry, customers and academia. Keith was previously professor (Swedish University of Agricultural Science, Uppsala, Sweden) and, professor and research leader (Faculty of Agriculture & Agribusiness) at the University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg. He has postdoctoral experience from Long Ashton Research Station, Bristol, UK and the Weizmann Institute of Science (WIS), Israel. Major areas of interest are natural products and in particular isoprenoids and phospholipids and their role in ontogenesis, senescence and aging, microalgae and waste water treatment with emphasis on algae-to-energy, biomethane production, and coal biotechnology. Keith has an extensive publication record; is on the editorial board of three scientific journals, is a referee for many scientific journals and a reviewer for international grant-funding agencies. He currently manages a staff of 16 including 7 postgraduate students.

PRESENTATION ABSTRACT BY PROF. KEITH COWAN

Topic: Integrated algae pond systems for waste water treatment

Integrated Algae Pond Systems (IAPS) are a derivation of the Oswald designed Algal Integrated Wastewater Pond Systems (AIWPS®) and combine the use of anaerobic and aerobic bioprocesses to effect waste water treatment. IAPS technology was introduced to South Africa in 1996 and a pilot plant designed and commissioned at the Belmont Valley WWTW in Grahamstown. The system has been in continual use since implementation and affords secondarily-treated water for reclamation according to its design specifications which most closely resemble those of the AIWPS® Advanced Secondary Process. In this presentation IAPS as a waste water treatment technology is examined in relation to design and operation, the underpinning biochemistry of nutrient removal by algae is described, and a retrospective is provided on the demonstration system at the Belmont Valley WWTW. In addition to details of the process flow, several shortcomings and/or oversights are highlighted and in particular, the need for an appropriate tertiary treatment component. The purpose of this overview is to provide a synthesis of available information on IAPS and an appraisal of its use in domestic waste water treatment.