Laboratory
The IHE Delft laboratory supports the Institute’s education and research activities. It also provides external testing and support services upon request.
Facilities
Modern teaching laboratories and a well-equipped research laboratory support laboratory courses and research in a wide range of environmental and water-related fields. The educational and research laboratories, with a research area of 750 m2, include laboratory-scale experimental facilities for water treatment techniques such as sand filtration, membrane filtration, ozonization, coagulation and flotation, aerobic and anaerobic purification processes. A biohazard laboratory offers space for experiments that require special conditions, such as tests with faecal sludge.
Research activities on water treatment processes
Groundwater – treatment for drinking water production:
- Technologies for removing Fe, Mn, As, F and coliform bacteria.
Surface water – analysis and treatment for water management purposes and drinking water production:
- Removal of algae and clay (particles) by coagulation/flotation;
- Membrane filtration, scaling/ (bio-) fouling and cleaning (regeneration);
- Water quality management, study of eutrophication processes;
- Heavy metals uptake and appearance in soils, sediments and biota;
- Organic pollutants treatment by ozone, UV, activated carbon and reverse osmosis.
Wastewater – treatment of industrial and domestic wastewater:
- Nitrification/denitrification processes, also at high salinity levels;
- Heavy metals removal;
- Bioleaching of precious metals from solid electronic waste;
- Phosphorus and nitrogen removal in anaerobic/aerobic sludge processes;
- Removal of pathogens.
The laboratory staff can perform a wide range of tests for physical, chemical and molecular biology analyses of water, soil and air. Analytical techniques such as atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), induced coupled plasma (ICP-OES and MS), atomic fluorescence emission (FEEM), Total Organic Carbon (TOC), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), UV-VIS spectrometry, ion chromatography (IC), gas-liquid chromatography (GLC) are used for the analysis of many environmental organic and inorganic compounds, including nutrients, heavy metals and organics. Instruments such as thermogravimetric analysers (TGA), calorimeters and a rheometers are used to analyse thermal and mechanical properties. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and flow cytometry techniques are used to detect, identify and count specific cells in bacteria and viruses.
Leasing of laboratory facilities; advisory and analytical services
External parties, including consultants, private companies, schools and individuals can lease IHE Delft’s lab space, facilities and lab-scale pilot plants for research or for classes for up to 40 students. The laboratory also offers advisory and analytical services in combination with the leasing of experimental set-ups operated by the client.
Water quality parameters that can be analysed in the lab include :
- pH, conductivity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen
- Cations and anions such as Ca, Mg, Na, K, HCO3, F, Cl, NH4, NO2, NO3, PO4, SO4, SiO2
- Metals such as Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, As, Ni, Co, Fe, Mn at ppb level
Wastewater quality parameters that can be analysed in the lab include:
- COD, BOD, TOC, DOC, Kjeldahl-N, Total N, TDS, SVI and coliform bacteria
IHE Delft alumni and consultants working in the water sector can, for a fee, use of IHE Delft’s in-house experimental equipment, including coagulation/flotation jar tests, vertical filtration columns, sequencing batch fermenters and an ozonization set-ups. Some of the equipment can be rented for use at other locations.
Training courses
IHE Delft laboratory personnel can give demonstrations and training courses to technical staff from external companies, academic institutions and government facilities (in-house, onsite and abroad). Costs available on request from Laboratory Manager Merlien Reddy.
Merlien Reddy
Manager Laboratory
