Designing local solutions for emptying pit latrines in low-income urban settlements (Malawi)

A lack of effective options in local technology poses challenges when onsite household sanitation facilities are eventually filled to capacity in unplanned settlement areas within Mzuzu City, located in northern Malawi. Vacuum trucks currently dominate the market but focus on emptying septic tanks in the more easily accessible planned settlement areas, rather than servicing the pit latrines common in unplanned settlement areas. As a result, households in the unplanned settlement areas within Mzuzu rely primarily on manual pit emptying (i.e., shoveling by hand) or digging a new pit latrine. These practices have associated health risks and are limited by space constraints. This research focused on filling the technological gap through the design, development, and testing of a pedal powered modified Gulper pump using locally available materials and fabrication. A modified pedal powered Gulper technology was developed and demonstrated to be capable of lifting fecal sludge from a depth of 1.5 m with a mean flow rate of 0.00058 m3/s. If the trash content was low, a typical pit latrine with a volume of 1–4 m3 could be emptied within 1–2 h. Based on the findings in our research Phase IV, the pedal powered Gulper modification is promising as a potential emptying technology for lined pit latrines in unplanned settlement areas. The success rate of the technology is about 17% (5 out 30 sampled lined pit latrines were successful) and reflects the difficulty in finding a single technology that can work well in all types of pit latrines with varying contents. We note that cost should not be the only design criteria and acknowledge the challenge of handling trash in pit latrines

Comparative study for the performance of pure artificial intelligence software sensor and self-organizing map assisted software sensor in predicting 5-day biochemical oxygen demand for Kauma Sewage Treatment Plant effluent in Malawi

Introduction: Modeling plays a crucial role in understanding wastewater treatment processes, yet conventional deterministic models face challenges due to complexity and uncertainty. Artificial intelligence offers an alternative, requiring no prior system knowledge. This study tested the reliability of the Adaptive Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS), an artificial intelligence algorithm that integrates both neural networks and fuzzy logic principles, to predict effluent Biochemical Oxygen Demand. An important indicator of organic pollution in wastewater.Materials and Methods: The ANFIS models were developed and validated with historical wastewater quality data for the Kauma Sewage Treatment Plant located in Lilongwe City, Malawi. A Self Organizing Map (SOM) was applied to extract features of the raw data to enhance the performance of ANFIS. Cost-effective, quicker, and easier-to-measure variables were selected as possible predictors while using their respective correlations with effluent. Influents’ temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and effluent chemical oxygen demand were among the model predictors.Results and Discussions: The comparative results demonstrated that for the same model structure, the ANFIS model achieved correlation coefficients (R) of 0.92, 0.90, and 0.81 during training, testing, and validation respectively, whereas the SOM-assisted ANFIS Model achieved R Values of 0.99, 0.87 and 0.94. Overall, despite the slight decrease in R-value during the testing stage, the SOM- assisted ANFIS model outperformed the traditional ANFIS model in terms of predictive capability. A graphic user interface was developed to improve user interaction and friendliness of the developed model. Integration of the developed model with supervisory control and data acquisition system is recommended. The study also recommends widening the application of the developed model, by retraining it with data from other wastewater treatment facilities and rivers in Malawi

SPARC 2017 retrospect & prospects : Salford postgraduate annual research conference book of abstracts

Welcome to the Book of Abstracts for the 2017 SPARC conference. This year we not only celebrate the work of our PGRs but also the 50th anniversary of Salford as a University, which makes this year’s conference extra special. Once again we have received a tremendous contribution from our postgraduate research community; with over 130 presenters, the conference truly showcases a vibrant PGR community at Salford. These abstracts provide a taster of the research strengths of their works, and provide delegates with a reference point for networking and initiating critical debate. With such wide-ranging topics being showcased, we encourage you to exploit this great opportunity to engage with researchers working in different subject areas to your own. To meet global challenges, high impact research inevitably requires interdisciplinary collaboration. This is recognised by all major research funders. Therefore engaging with the work of others and forging collaborations across subject areas is an essential skill for the next generation of researchers

SPARC 2022 book of abstracts

Welcome to the Book of Abstracts for the 2022 SPARC conference. Our conference is called “Moving Forwards” reflecting our re-emergence from the pandemic and our desire to reconnect our PGR community, in celebration of their research. PGRs have continued with their research endeavours despite many challenges, and their ongoing successes are underpinned by the support and guidance of dedicated supervisors and the Doctoral School Team. To recognise supervision excellence we will be awarding our annual Supervisor of the Year prizes, based on the wonderful nominations received from their PGR students.Once again, we have received a tremendous contribution from our postgraduate research community; with over 60 presenters, 12 Three-Minute Thesis finalists, and 20 poster presentations, the conference showcases our extraordinarily vibrant, inclusive, and resilient PGR community at Salford. This year there will be prizes to be won for ‘best in conference’ presentations, in addition to the winners from each parallel session. Audience members too could be in for a treat, with judges handing out spot prizes for the best questions asked, so don’t miss the opportunity to put your hand up. These abstracts provide a taster of the diverse and impactful research in progress and provide delegates with a reference point for networking and initiating critical debate. Take advantage of the hybrid format: in online sessions by posting a comment or by messaging an author to say “Hello”, or by initiating break time discussions about the amazing research you’ve seen if you are with us in person. Who knows what might result from your conversation? With such wide-ranging topics being showcased, we encourage you to take up this great opportunity to engage with researchers working in different subject areas from your own. As recent events have shown, researchers need to collaborate to meet global challenges. Interdisciplinary and international working is increasingly recognised and rewarded by all major research funders. We do hope, therefore, that you will take this opportunity to initiate interdisciplinary conversations with other researchers. A question or comment from a different perspective can shed new light on a project and could lead to exciting collaborations, and that is what SPARC is all about. SPARC is part of a programme of personal and professional development opportunities offered to all postgraduate researchers at Salford. More information about this programme is available on our website: Doctoral School | University of Salford. Registered Salford students can access full details on the Doctoral School hub: Doctoral School Hub - Home (sharepoint.com) You can follow us on Twitter @SalfordPGRs and please use the #SPARC2022 to share your conference experience.We particularly welcome taught students from our undergraduate and master’s programmes as audience members. We hope you enjoy the presentations on offer and that they inspire you to pursue your own research career. If you would like more information about studying for a PhD here at the University of Salford, your lecturers can advise, or you can contact the relevant PGR Support Officer; their details can be found at Doctoral School | University of Salford. We wish you a rich and rewarding conference experience

Incidence and distribution of Sweetpotato viruses and their implication on sweetpotato seed system in Malawi

A survey was carried out in 19 districts to investigate the prevalence and distribution of sweetpotato virus disease (SPVD) and its implication on the sustainability of clean seed system in Malawi. A total of 166 leaf samples were collected and tested for the presence of 8 viruses using nitrocellulose membrane enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (NCM-ELISA). SPVD foliar symptoms were observed in 68.42% of the surveyed districts. There were significant variations in disease incidence and severity (p < 0.001) among districts, with the highest incidence in Mulanje (28.34%). Average SPVD severity score was 3.05. NCM-ELISA detected sweet potato feathery mottle virus (SPFMV, 30.54%), sweet potato mild mottle virus (SPMMV, 31.14%), sweet potato mild speckling virus (SPMSV, 16.17%), sweet potato C-6 virus (SPC6V, 13.77%), sweet potato chlorotic stunt virus (SPCSV, 22.16%), sweet potato collusive virus (SPCV, 30.54%), sweet potato virus G (SPVG, 11.38%), cucumber mosaic virus (CMV, 7.78%) either in single or mixed infections. Data from this study indicate a significant SPVD occurrence in the country, and the consequence implications towards national sweetpotato seed system

Malawi potato variety catalogue 2021

This catalogue is the first for potato varieties registered in Malawi with the Agricultural Technology Clearing Committee (ATCC) of the Department of Agricultural Research Services (DARS) under the Ministry of Agriculture. The catalogue describes potato varieties in terms of use, tuber features, maturity period, yields, and resistance to diseases. A brief description of the growth characteristics has also been provided for each variety. Using the details provided, it is easy to identify each variety to target specific markets. This initiative is aimed at enhancing awareness about the released varieties and helping create the links between seed growers and potato farmers. This catalogue is, therefore, an important reference material for farmers and other market actors

Learning to mock – Challenging the teaching establishment

There have been very few studies that apply the work of Mikhail Bakhtin and Norbert Elias to understand the underlying learning processes of young children. This article will explore the methodological similarities between Bakhtin’s ideas about the carnivalesque and Norbert Elias’s theory of established-outsider relations to explain how young children can undermine the authoritative discourses of teachers in preschool classrooms. It will focus on the playful mockery that young children display within their peer-groups to challenge teaching authority. I will argue that many of the humorous events produced by young children should be viewed as an attempt to violate their teachers’ expectations. Drawing attention to the utility of using humour as a special type of qualitative research tool illuminates the different ways that young children in different cultures can resist adult authority