ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Francis de los Reyes - Environmental engineer, sanitation activist
Francis de los Reyes works with cutting-edge microbiological techniques in environmental biotech. But his passion, both professionally and personally, is helping to improve the plight of the world’s 2.5 billion people living without adequate sanitation. Reyes is a TED Fellow.

Why you should listen

Dr. Francis L. de los Reyes III is a Professor of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering, Associate Faculty of Microbiology, and Training Faculty of Biotechnology at North Carolina State University. His research focuses on biological processes and combines modeling, bioreactor experiments, and molecular microbial ecology tools in addressing fundamental and practical issues in environmental biotechnology and environmental engineering. An important area of his research and teaching is water and sanitation in developing countries.

Current and past research projects (funding of ~ $4.5 M in last 10 years) include: quantitative microbial risk assessment of graywater reuse (WRRI), molecular analysis and modeling of the competition between filaments and floc-formers in activated sludge (NSF), analysis of the ecophysiology of nitrifiers and denitrifiers in microbial floc (NSF), optimization of a swine waste treatment system for nitrogen removal (US Department of Agriculture), analysis of the fate of bioagents in landfills (EPA), microbial characterization of landfills (Waste Management, Inc.), molecular techniques for groundwater remedation sites (US DOE/DOD), investigation of foam control methods (Hazen and Sawyer), development of probes for environmentally versatile Bacillus strains (Novozymes Biochemicals, Inc.), improvement of sludge dewatering (NC WRRI), microbial ecology of grease interceptors (CSPA) and the system-wide optimization of wastewater treatment plants using genetic algorithms. 

More profile about the speaker
Francis de los Reyes | Speaker | TED.com
TED Fellows Retreat 2013

Francis de los Reyes: Sanitation is a basic human right

弗朗西斯·德洛斯雷耶斯: 公共卫生是一项基本人权

Filmed:
803,551 views

这个演进中包含比你想要知道的要多得多的关于世界上各种的排便方式。但是作为一个共公卫生活动家(和一个TED演讲者)弗朗西斯·德洛斯雷耶斯提出了问题:难道不是每个人都应该有一个安全如厕的地方吗?
- Environmental engineer, sanitation activist
Francis de los Reyes works with cutting-edge microbiological techniques in environmental biotech. But his passion, both professionally and personally, is helping to improve the plight of the world’s 2.5 billion people living without adequate sanitation. Reyes is a TED Fellow. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:12
I am an engineering工程 professor教授,
0
345
1664
我是一个工程学教授,
00:14
and for the past过去 14 years年份
1
2009
3116
但是在过去的14年
00:17
I've been teaching教学 crap掷骰子.
2
5125
1808
我一直在教废话/大便
00:18
(Laughter笑声)
3
6933
1305
(笑声)
00:20
Not that I'm a bad teacher老师,
4
8238
2017
不是因为我是一个坏老师,
00:22
but I've been studying研究 and teaching教学
5
10255
2118
而是我一直在学习和教授
00:24
about human人的 waste浪费
6
12373
1887
关于人类排泄物方面的知识,
00:26
and how waste浪费 is conveyed输送
7
14260
1631
和这些排泄物是如何运达
00:27
through通过 these wastewater废水 treatment治疗 plants植物,
8
15891
2883
污水处理厂,
00:30
and how we engineer工程师 and design设计
9
18774
1575
以及我们是如何设计和建造
00:32
these treatment治疗 plants植物 so that we can protect保护
10
20349
1990
这些处理厂从而使得我们能够保护
00:34
surface表面 water like rivers河流.
11
22339
2082
像河水这样的地表水的。
00:36
I've based基于 my scientific科学 career事业
12
24421
2650
我的科学职业生涯是建立在这样的基础上的,
00:39
on using运用 leading-edge前沿 molecular分子 techniques技术,
13
27071
3437
那就是通过使用最前沿的生物分子学技术、
00:42
DNA-脱氧核糖核酸- and RNA-based基于RNA的方法 methods方法
14
30508
2612
用基于DNA和RNA的研究方法
00:45
to look at microbial微生物 populations人群 in biological生物 reactors反应堆,
15
33120
3439
去观察生物反应器中的微生物,
00:48
and again to optimize优化 these systems系统.
16
36559
2363
然后再去完善这些系统。
00:50
And over the years年份,
17
38922
1249
这些年来,
00:52
I have developed发达 an unhealthy不良 obsession困扰 with toilets洗手间,
18
40171
4252
我已经形成了一种不健康的对厕所的痴迷,
00:56
and I've been known已知 to sneak潜行 into toilets洗手间
19
44423
2992
我通常溜进世界各地的厕所
00:59
and take my camera相机 phone电话
20
47415
1803
然后用我的拍照手机
01:01
all over the world世界.
21
49218
2348
拍下照片。
01:03
But along沿 the way, I've learned学到了
22
51566
2224
一路下来,我了解到
01:05
that it's not just the technical技术 side,
23
53790
2542
这不仅是一个技术方面的问题,
01:08
but there's also this thing called the culture文化 of crap掷骰子.
24
56332
4178
更是一种被称为大便文化的东西。
01:12
So for example,
25
60510
1469
例如,
01:13
how many许多 of you are washers垫圈
26
61979
2307
你们当中有多少人是冲洗者,
01:16
and how many许多 of you are wipers雨刷?
27
64286
2452
有多少人是擦拭者?
01:18
(Laughter笑声)
28
66738
4207
(笑声)
01:22
If, well, I guess猜测 you know what I mean.
29
70945
3937
如果,嗯,我想你们知道我的意思。
01:26
If you're a washer垫圈, then you use water
30
74882
2239
如果你是一个冲洗者,那么你会用水
01:29
for anal肛门 cleansing净化. That's the technical技术 term术语.
31
77121
2812
清洗肛门。这是一个技术术语。
01:31
And if you're a wiper雨刮器,
32
79933
2858
但是如果你是一个擦拭者,
01:34
then you use toilet厕所 paper
33
82791
2092
你会使用卫生纸,
01:36
or, in some regions地区 of the world世界
34
84883
1755
或者,在一些用不上卫生纸的地区
01:38
where it's not available可得到, newspaper报纸
35
86638
3634
甚至使用报纸
01:42
or rags碎布 or corncobs玉米芯.
36
90272
3520
或者破布、玉米棒子。
01:45
And this is not just a piece of trivia琐事,
37
93792
2498
这不是一件小事,
01:48
but it's really important重要 to understand理解
38
96290
1856
它对于理解
01:50
and solve解决 the sanitation卫生 problem问题.
39
98146
2193
和解决卫生问题真的很重要。
01:52
And it is a big problem问题:
40
100339
2284
这是一个大问题:
01:54
There are 2.5 billion十亿 people in the world世界
41
102623
2045
全球大约有25亿人
01:56
who don't have access访问 to adequate充足 sanitation卫生.
42
104668
3161
生活在卫生条件不达标的环境中。
01:59
For them, there's no modern现代 toilet厕所.
43
107829
2103
对这些人来说,没有现代的厕所可用。
02:01
And there are 1.1 billion十亿 people
44
109932
3911
大约有11亿人
02:05
whose谁的 toilets洗手间 are the streets街道
45
113843
2394
他们的厕所就是大街、
02:08
or river banks银行 or open打开 spaces空间,
46
116237
2926
河岸或者露天的空地,
02:11
and again, the technical技术 term术语 for that is
47
119163
1979
对此也有一个技术术语
02:13
open打开 defecation排便,
48
121142
2037
就是随地大小便,
02:15
but that is really simply只是
49
123179
3104
简而言之
02:18
shitting拉屎 in the open打开.
50
126283
2059
就是在露天的地方排便。
02:20
And if you're living活的 in fecal粪便 material材料
51
128342
1903
如果你生活在一个
02:22
and it's surrounding周围 you, you're going to get sick生病.
52
130245
2335
被粪便包围的环境中,你会生病。
02:24
It's going to get into your drinking water,
53
132580
1506
它会进入到你的饮用水中,
02:26
into your food餐饮, into your immediate即时 surroundings环境.
54
134086
2416
你的食物中,你身边的环境中。
02:28
So the United联合的 Nations国家 estimates估计
55
136502
2445
因此,联合国估计
02:30
that every一切 year, there are
1.5 million百万 child儿童 deaths死亡
56
138947
4112
每年有150万的儿童
02:35
because of inadequate不足 sanitation卫生.
57
143059
2709
因卫生设施不足而死。
02:37
That's one preventable预防的 death死亡 every一切 20 seconds,
58
145768
4049
那意味着每20秒就有一例可预防性死亡发生,
02:41
171 every一切 hour小时,
59
149817
2610
每小时就是171例,
02:44
4,100 every一切 day.
60
152427
3218
每天就是4100例。
02:47
And so, to avoid避免 open打开 defecation排便,
61
155645
2092
因此,为了避免随地大小便,
02:49
municipalities直辖市 and cities城市
62
157737
2175
城市里
02:51
build建立 infrastructure基础设施, for example, like pit latrines厕所,
63
159912
4192
会修建基础设施,比如说,就像在城郊和农村地区
02:56
in peri-urban城郊 and rural乡村 areas.
64
164104
1922
修建坑式厕所一样。
02:58
For example, in KwaZulu-Natal夸祖鲁 - 纳塔尔
province in South Africa非洲,
65
166026
3307
例如,在南非的夸祖鲁-纳塔尔省,
03:01
they've他们已经 built内置 tens of thousands数千 of these pit latrines厕所.
66
169333
3334
他们修建了成千上万的这种坑式厕所。
03:04
But there's a problem问题 when you scale规模 up
67
172667
2193
但是当你把规模扩大到成千上万时,
03:06
to tens of thousands数千, and the problem问题 is,
68
174860
2250
有一个问题就出现了,问题就是
03:09
what happens发生 when the pits are full充分?
69
177110
1802
当这些坑都满了的时候会发生什么?
03:10
This is what happens发生.
70
178912
2585
这个就是到时候会发生的。
03:13
People defecate大便 around the toilet厕所.
71
181497
2374
人们会在厕所的周围排便。
03:15
In schools学校, children孩子 defecate大便 on the floors地板
72
183871
3105
在学校,孩子们会把便排在地板上
03:18
and then leave离开 a trail落后 outside the building建造
73
186976
2171
然后蔓延到楼外,
03:21
and start开始 defecating排粪 around the building建造,
74
189147
2783
然后开始在楼层的周围排便,
03:23
and these pits have to be cleaned清洗
75
191930
2234
这些坑需要被打扫
03:26
and manually手动 emptied清空.
76
194164
2531
并且用人工去清空。
03:28
And who does the emptying清空?
77
196695
1348
那么谁来清空这些坑?
03:30
You've got these workers工人
78
198043
2522
这些工人
03:32
who have to sometimes有时 go down into the pits
79
200565
2734
他们有时必须下到坑里去
03:35
and manually手动 remove去掉 the contents内容.
80
203299
2401
用手清除这些粪便。
03:37
It's a dirty and dangerous危险 business商业.
81
205700
3847
这是一桩很脏并且很危险的生意。
03:41
As you can see, there's no protective保护的 equipment设备,
82
209547
2318
正如你所看到的,他们没有防护设备,
03:43
no protective保护的 clothing服装.
83
211865
1589
没有防护服。
03:45
There's one worker工人 down there.
84
213454
1006
这里有一个正在下面的工作。
03:46
I hope希望 you can see him.
85
214460
1638
我希望你能看到他。
03:48
He's got a face面对 mask面具 on, but no shirt衬衫.
86
216098
2856
他只有一个面罩,但是没有衣服。
03:50
And in some countries国家, like India印度,
87
218954
2431
在某些国家,像印度,
03:53
the lower降低 castes种姓 are condemned谴责
88
221385
2474
低等种姓会被叫去
03:55
to empty the pits,
89
223859
2374
清空这些坑,
03:58
and they're further进一步 condemned谴责 by society社会.
90
226233
2576
并且他们还会受到进一步的社会谴责。
04:00
So you ask yourself你自己, how can we solve解决 this
91
228809
2947
所以问问你自己,我们如何才能解决这个问题,
04:03
and why don't we just build建立 Western-style洋气 flush红晕 toilets洗手间
92
231756
2835
为什么我们不为这25亿人
04:06
for these two and a half billion十亿?
93
234591
2521
修建西式的抽水马桶?
04:09
And the answer回答 is, it's just not possible可能.
94
237112
2305
答案就是,这是不可行的。
04:11
In some of these areas, there's not enough足够 water,
95
239417
2858
在上述的某些地区,没有足够的水,
04:14
there's no energy能源,
96
242275
1373
也没有能源,
04:15
it's going to cost成本 tens of trillions万亿 of dollars美元
97
243648
2035
为了修建这些抽水马桶将要花费数十万亿的美元
04:17
to lay铺设 out the sewer下水道 lines线
98
245683
1575
去铺设排污管道
04:19
and to build建立 the facilities设备
99
247258
871
和建设这些设施
04:20
and to operate操作 and maintain保持 these systems系统,
100
248129
2394
以及运营和维护这些系统,
04:22
and if you don't build建立 it right,
101
250523
1572
并且如果你不能正确的修建它的话,
04:24
you're going to have flush红晕 toilets洗手间
102
252095
1901
那么你的抽水马桶
04:25
that basically基本上 go straight直行 into the river,
103
253996
2408
就可能基本上把污水直接排到河里,
04:28
just like what's happening事件 in many许多 cities城市
104
256404
2475
就像那些在很多发展中国家的城市里
04:30
in the developing发展 world世界.
105
258879
1393
正在发生的情景一样。
04:32
And is this really the solution?
106
260272
2049
并且这是真正的解决方案吗?
04:34
Because essentially实质上, what you're doing is
107
262321
1890
因为基本上来说,你所做的
04:36
you're using运用 clean清洁 water
108
264211
2385
就是用干净的水
04:38
and you're using运用 it to flush红晕 your toilet厕所,
109
266596
2065
去冲厕所,
04:40
convey传达 it to a wastewater废水 treatment治疗 plant
110
268661
2486
再把它运到污水处理厂,
04:43
which哪一个 then discharges放电 to a river,
111
271147
1744
然后再排放到河里去,
04:44
and that river, again, is a drinking water source资源.
112
272891
2756
而这些河呢,又是饮用水源。
04:47
So we've我们已经 got to rethink反思 sanitation卫生,
113
275647
2295
因此我们必须重新想一想卫生问题,
04:49
and we've我们已经 got to reinvent重塑 the sanitation卫生 infrastructure基础设施,
114
277942
4565
我们必须改造卫生基础设施,
04:54
and I'm going to argue争论 that to do this,
115
282507
1901
我正打算说服人们去做这些,
04:56
you have to employ采用 systems系统 thinking思维.
116
284408
2317
你必须采用系统的思考。
04:58
We have to look at the whole整个 sanitation卫生 chain.
117
286725
2970
我们必须考虑整个卫生链。
05:01
We start开始 with a human人的 interface接口,
118
289695
2273
我们从人性化界面开始,
05:03
and then we have to think about how feces
119
291968
1901
然后我们必须思考粪便
05:05
are collected and stored存储,
120
293869
2384
如何被收集和储存、
05:08
transported, treated治疗 and reused重用
121
296253
2722
运输、处理和再利用——
05:10
and not just disposal处置 but reuse重用.
122
298975
2165
不仅要处理,还要再利用。
05:13
So let's start开始 with the human人的 user用户 interface接口.
123
301140
2493
所以让我们从这个拟人化用户界面开始。
05:15
I say, it doesn't matter if you're a washer垫圈 or a wiper雨刮器,
124
303633
3824
我想说,不管你是一个冲洗者或擦拭者,
05:19
a sitter保姆 or a squatter棚户区,
125
307457
2003
坐着的或蹲着的都没关系,
05:21
the human人的 user用户 interface接口 should be clean清洁
126
309460
2092
这个拟人化用户界面应当干净
05:23
and easy简单 to use, because after all,
127
311552
2801
和易于使用,因为毕竟
05:26
taking服用 a dump倾倒 should be pleasurable愉快的.
128
314353
2374
排便应当是一件愉快的事。
05:28
(Laughter笑声)
129
316727
2621
(笑声)
05:31
And when we open打开 the possibilities可能性
130
319348
2857
当我们展现出
05:34
to understanding理解 this sanitation卫生 chain,
131
322205
2711
理解这个卫生链的可能性时,
05:36
then the back-end后端 technology技术,
132
324916
2070
那么后台技术、
05:38
the collection采集 to the reuse重用, should not really matter,
133
326986
3690
从收集到再利用,都不是真正的问题,
05:42
and then we can apply应用
134
330676
1293
然后我们可以应用
05:43
locally本地 adoptable可采用 and context-sensitive上下文敏感 solutions解决方案.
135
331969
3837
适合当地并与当地环境相关的解决方案。
05:47
So we can open打开 ourselves我们自己 to possibilities可能性 like,
136
335806
2700
我们可以打开自己的潜能,
05:50
for example, this urine-diverting尿分流 toilet厕所,
137
338506
2895
例如,这个尿液转移厕所,
05:53
and there's two holes in this toilet厕所.
138
341401
1832
这个厕所有两个洞,
05:55
There's the front面前 and the back,
139
343233
1182
前面一个后面一个,
05:56
and the front面前 collects收集 the urine尿,
140
344415
2074
前面的收集尿液,
05:58
and the back collects收集 the fecal粪便 material材料.
141
346489
1904
后面的收集粪便。
06:00
And so what you're doing is
you're separating分离 the urine尿,
142
348393
1846
因此你要做的就是将大小便分开,
06:02
which哪一个 has 80 percent百分 of the nitrogen
143
350239
2069
尿液中含80%的氮
06:04
and 50 percent百分 of the phosphorus,
144
352308
2250
和50%的磷,
06:06
and then that can then be treated治疗
145
354558
2081
然后将尿液进行处理
06:08
and precipitated沉淀 to form形成 things like struvite鸟粪,
146
356639
2621
再沉淀以形成像磷酸氨镁
06:11
which哪一个 is a high-value高价值 fertilizer肥料,
147
359260
1969
这样的高价值的肥料,
06:13
and then the fecal粪便 material材料 can then be disinfected消毒
148
361229
2498
而大便呢首先要被消毒
06:15
and again converted转换 to high-value高价值 end结束 products制品.
149
363727
3689
然后再变成高附加值的终端产品。
06:19
Or, for example, in some of our research研究,
150
367416
2205
或者,举例来说,在我们的一些研究中,
06:21
you can reuse重用 the water by treating治疗 it
151
369621
2643
你可以通过用花盆或者人工湿地
06:24
in on-site现场 sanitation卫生 systems系统
152
372264
2138
这样的就地卫生系统去处理污水
06:26
like planter播种机 boxes盒子 or constructed wetlands沼泽地.
153
374402
2761
以达到再利用的目的。
06:29
So we can open打开 up all these possibilities可能性
154
377163
2683
我们可以开创所有的可能性,
06:31
if we take away the old paradigm范例 of flush红晕 toilets洗手间
155
379846
3488
如果我们能拋弃旧的抽水马桶
06:35
and treatment治疗 plants植物.
156
383334
1666
和污水处理厂模式的话。
06:37
So you might威力 be asking, who's谁是 going to pay工资?
157
385000
3418
你可能会问,谁来为此买单?
06:40
Well, I'm going to argue争论 that governments政府
158
388418
1958
嗯,我想要说的是政府
06:42
should fund基金 sanitation卫生 infrastructure基础设施.
159
390376
3431
应当投资修建卫生设施。
06:45
NGOs非政府组织 and donor捐赠者 organizations组织,
160
393807
2531
非政府组织和捐赠机构,
06:48
they can do their best最好, but it's not going to be enough足够.
161
396338
3420
他们会尽他们所能,但是仍然不够。
06:51
Governments政府 should fund基金 sanitation卫生
162
399758
1665
政府应当在卫生方面进行投资
06:53
the same相同 way they fund基金 roads道路
163
401423
1755
就像他们投资在公路、
06:55
and schools学校 and hospitals医院
164
403178
3460
学校和医院
06:58
and other infrastructure基础设施 like bridges桥梁,
165
406638
2152
以及其它的基础设施比如桥梁上一样,
07:00
because we know, and the WHO has doneDONE this study研究,
166
408790
3103
因为我们知道,并且世界卫生组织也做了这方面的研究,
07:03
that for every一切 dollar美元 that we invest投资
167
411893
1834
研究表明我们在卫生设施上
07:05
in sanitation卫生 infrastructure基础设施,
168
413727
1889
每投资1美元,
07:07
we get something like three to 34 dollars美元 back.
169
415616
3510
就可以获得3到34美元的回报。
07:11
Let's go back to the problem问题 of pit emptying清空.
170
419126
2452
让我们再回到清理坑式厕所的问题上去。
07:13
So at North Carolina卡罗来纳州 State University大学,
171
421578
1495
在北卡罗莱纳州立大学,
07:15
we challenged挑战 our students学生们 to
come up with a simple简单 solution,
172
423073
3187
我们让学生们想出一个简单的解决方案,
07:18
and this is what they came来了 up with:
173
426260
1484
而这就是他们想出来的方案:
07:19
a simple简单, modified改性 screw auger
174
427744
2643
一个简单、改良过的麻花钻
07:22
that can move移动 the waste浪费 up
175
430387
1934
可以将这些排泄物
07:24
from the pit and into a collecting搜集 drum,
176
432321
2519
从坑里运上来倒进一个收集桶,
07:26
and now the pit worker工人
177
434840
1496
现在这些清理粪坑的工人
07:28
doesn't have to go down into the pit.
178
436336
2105
不再需要下到坑里面。
07:30
We tested测试 it in South Africa非洲, and it works作品.
179
438441
1906
我们在南非测试了它,并且成功了。
07:32
We need to make it more robust强大的,
180
440347
1728
我们需要使它更加坚固,
07:34
and we're going to do more testing测试
181
442075
1293
并且我们打算在未来的一年里
07:35
in Malawi马拉维 and South Africa非洲 this coming未来 year.
182
443368
2566
在马拉维和南非做更多的测试。
07:37
And our idea理念 is to make this
183
445934
1619
我们的想法是把它变成
07:39
a professionalized专业化 pit-emptying掏粪 service服务
184
447553
2507
一种专业化的粪坑清理服务,
07:42
so that we can create创建 a small business商业 out of it,
185
450060
2578
这样的话我们就可以利用它创造一个小型企业,
07:44
create创建 profits利润 and jobs工作,
186
452638
1833
创造利润和就业机会,
07:46
and the hope希望 is that,
187
454471
1384
这件事的希望所在
07:47
as we are rethinking重新思考 sanitation卫生,
188
455855
1791
就是当我们重新思考卫生问题时,
07:49
we are extending扩展 the life of these pits
189
457646
3378
我们也在延长这些坑式厕所的使用寿命,
07:53
so that we don't have to resort采取
190
461024
2148
这样一来我们就不必去寻求
07:55
to quick solutions解决方案
191
463172
1805
那些并不是真正的有意义的
07:56
that don't really make sense.
192
464977
1964
快速解决方案。
07:58
I believe that access访问 to adequate充足 sanitation卫生
193
466941
3628
我认为获得足够的卫生设施
08:02
is a basic基本 human人的 right.
194
470569
1924
是一项基本人权。
08:04
We need to stop the practice实践
195
472493
1617
我们要停止那种
08:06
of lower降低 castes种姓 and lower-status地位较低的 people
196
474110
2790
把低等种姓和社会地位低的人
08:08
going down and being存在 condemned谴责 to empty pits.
197
476900
3542
叫去清理厕所的做法。
08:12
It is our moral道德, it is our social社会
198
480442
1980
这是我们在道德上、社会上、
08:14
and our environmental环境的 obligation义务.
199
482422
2149
和环境上的义务。
08:16
Thank you.
200
484571
2069
谢谢。
08:18
(Applause掌声)
201
486640
1675
(掌声)
Translated by chunhua zhang
Reviewed by Luo Wang

▲Back to top

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Francis de los Reyes - Environmental engineer, sanitation activist
Francis de los Reyes works with cutting-edge microbiological techniques in environmental biotech. But his passion, both professionally and personally, is helping to improve the plight of the world’s 2.5 billion people living without adequate sanitation. Reyes is a TED Fellow.

Why you should listen

Dr. Francis L. de los Reyes III is a Professor of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering, Associate Faculty of Microbiology, and Training Faculty of Biotechnology at North Carolina State University. His research focuses on biological processes and combines modeling, bioreactor experiments, and molecular microbial ecology tools in addressing fundamental and practical issues in environmental biotechnology and environmental engineering. An important area of his research and teaching is water and sanitation in developing countries.

Current and past research projects (funding of ~ $4.5 M in last 10 years) include: quantitative microbial risk assessment of graywater reuse (WRRI), molecular analysis and modeling of the competition between filaments and floc-formers in activated sludge (NSF), analysis of the ecophysiology of nitrifiers and denitrifiers in microbial floc (NSF), optimization of a swine waste treatment system for nitrogen removal (US Department of Agriculture), analysis of the fate of bioagents in landfills (EPA), microbial characterization of landfills (Waste Management, Inc.), molecular techniques for groundwater remedation sites (US DOE/DOD), investigation of foam control methods (Hazen and Sawyer), development of probes for environmentally versatile Bacillus strains (Novozymes Biochemicals, Inc.), improvement of sludge dewatering (NC WRRI), microbial ecology of grease interceptors (CSPA) and the system-wide optimization of wastewater treatment plants using genetic algorithms. 

More profile about the speaker
Francis de los Reyes | Speaker | TED.com