Biological Sciences
Petersfield Field Centre for Environmental Technology
The site is a self contained research and teaching facility at Petersfield Sewage Works that is rented from Southern Water and is used by the School of Biological Sciences and the School of Civil Engineering and Surveying. It has a variety of research and test facilities for microbiological work and also has a supply of sewage and effluent from pipelines at 3 stages of the treatment works (raw, primary settled and final effluent).
Figure 1. University Buildings and Facilities (shown in red).
The chemistry laboratory (Fig. 2)is approximately 70m2 and is fully equipped for basic water quality analysis, including Biochemical Oxygen Demand; Chemical Oxygen Demand, pH, suspended solids, conductivity, UV/Vis spectrophotometer, furnace, fume cupboard, still, air-segmented auto analyser for nutrient analysis.
Figure 2. Water Chemistry Laboratory (A and B)
The microbiology laboratory (Fig.3A) is approximately 45 m2 and is a more contained facility for undertaking environmental microbiology investigations, including handling Category 2 pathogens. It is well equipped with autoclaves, microscopes, incubators, shakers and fridges. There is also a 45 m2 glass greenhouse (Fig.3B) which offers a protected environment for plant trials.
Figure 3. Microbiology Laboratory (A) and Greenhouse (B)
There are 3 outside areas currently used as test beds for research projects and pilot plants including hydroponic experimental beds (see Figures 4 and 5).
Figure 4. Pilot Plants: Besst (A) and RADS (B) Sewage Treatment Systems
Figure 5. Phytoremediation study (A) and close up of sediments (B)