Konya Technical University (KTÜN) hosted an important workshop attended by scientists conducting international studies in Wastewater Treatment Technologies. Experiences of the Netherlands, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq and Turkey in wastewater treatment and reuse of treated wastewater in agricultural irrigation were shared in the workshop.
The workshop organized by IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, Netherlands, supported by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with partners from Egypt, Jordan and Iraq and entitled “Reuse of Treated Wastewater in Agricultural Irrigation in Egypt, Jordan and Iraq and Health Risks of Micro Pollutants” was held in cooperation with Konya Technical University in Konya.
The workshop, which took place on May 16-20 and lasted for five days, was attended by a team of 20 experts experienced in wastewater treatment from the Netherlands, Egypt, Jordan and Iraq, as well as Faculty Members of the KTÜN Environmental Engineering Department Prof. Dr. Bilgehan Nas, Prof. Dr. Dilek Erdirençelebi, Asst. Prof. Dr. Selim Doğan, Asst. Prof. Dr. Havva Ateş, Asst. Prof. Dr. Taylan Dolu.
Prof. Dr. Information was shared about the project entitled “monitoring and control of micropollutants in wastewater treatment plants”, which was supported and completed by TÜBİTAK ,conducted by Bilgehan NAS, which was ongoing with the project entitled “Urban wastewater for agricultural irrigation water re-use: innovative wastewater treatment technologies and costs from antibiotics and its metabolites in soil and plants with the transition to agricultural production ”
During the workshop, a technical trip to the Konya wastewater treatment plant was organized and participants were informed about the pilot scale facilities and agricultural application areas of the projects supported by TÜBITAK. KOSKI General Manager Ahmet Demir met with the participants at the Konya wastewater treatment plant and conveyed his wishes for success.
Prof. Dr. In his speech, Prof. Dr. Bilgehan Nas said: "The consumption of antibiotics in the world is increasing dramatically every year. It is estimated that up to 75% of antibiotics are excreted from the body unchanged or as metabolites. The studies conducted show that the use of antibiotics per capita in Turkey is much higher than the world average. Domestic and urban wastewater treatment plants that do not have advanced treatment technologies are shown as the most important source for the transition of antibiotic compounds to the environment." he added.
Information about a project which lasted for 4 years was shared by Prof. Dr. Peter van der Steen and Prof. Dr. Hadeel Hosney from IHE Delft. Prof. Dr. Peter van der Steen expressed his satisfaction to have held the first workshop of the project, which they started in September 2022, in cooperation with KTÜN.