Researchers Pioneer Solutions for Water Resource Sustainability
Algerian university researchers are intensifying their efforts to address major national challenges, particularly in achieving water security and ensuring the sustainability of water resources. In alignment with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune's directives to valorize treated wastewater and expand its reuse, institutions like Houari Boumediene University of Science and Technology (USTHB), alongside other national universities, have dedicated their academic capabilities and specialized laboratories to developing innovative technical solutions. These solutions focus on treating and purifying wastewater for subsequent reuse, integrating international expertise and fostering academic partnerships with Algerian professionals abroad. This approach also emphasizes the use of local, environmentally friendly materials to lower costs and localize technology, ultimately aiming to transfer these laboratory-developed solutions to treatment plants and industrial sites, thereby enhancing the nation's scientific and technical independence.
The Algerian university system is reinforcing its role as a pivotal actor in national development, channeling scientific research and laboratory work towards addressing the country's major strategic priorities, which include water, energy, food, and health security. This transformation aligns with the President’s vision for universities to connect with the economic and social environment, evolving them from mere academic institutions to economic drivers that foster wealth, innovation, and practical solutions for national issues. President Tebboune has issued instructions to achieve a 60 percent recovery rate of used water, which would provide an additional water source to meet developmental needs, particularly the increasing demand in the agricultural sector. The sector currently operates 237 sanitation systems across the country, with an additional 76 new systems under construction, projected to increase the total annual filtration capacity by approximately 35 percent to 1.514 billion cubic meters.
Significant research initiatives from Algerian universities demonstrate tangible progress. Researchers from USTHB, in collaboration with international institutions, have designed illuminated fabrics capable of decomposing pharmaceutical residues like flumequine and developed composite granules that effectively remove textile dyes from water. Further studies at USTHB explored methods for decomposing amoxicillin antibiotic residues using titanium dioxide and sunlight, enhancing efficiency with specialized additives. In filtration, joint research focused on developing advanced membranes that efficiently pass water while retaining pollutants, and producing ceramic membranes from natural silica, with controlled pore sizes for various industrial filtration needs. M'hamed Bougara University of Boumerdes has also contributed, developing additional purification methods for sewage to render it suitable for irrigation and converting diss plant stems into activated carbon for phosphate and dye removal.
This concentrated research effort is complemented by a commitment to scientific collaboration and knowledge exchange. USTHB hosted the First International Conference on “Strategies for Efficient Wastewater Purification and Reuse,” which served as a platform for strengthening international cooperation and exchanging academic expertise, crucial amidst water stress and climate change challenges in the Mediterranean region. The conference recommendations highlighted the importance of sustainable water management, fostering innovation in treatment and reuse, promoting a circular economy, and strengthening partnerships between universities and industry. Additionally, the university actively supports young researchers and integrates a mini water treatment plant on campus, providing a practical, pedagogical, and scientific tool for students and researchers to conduct experiments and simulate technological solutions in a real-world setting.
