Ouagadougou:Grard Yves Sanou has achieved his PhD in Chemistry, specializing in Process Engineering - Water and Environment, from Joseph Ki-Zerbo University, earning the distinction "Very Honorable." His research focused on detecting and removing antibiotics from the wastewater of Ouagadougou using activated carbon derived from the invasive plant Typha Australis.
According to Burkina Information Agency, Sanou's thesis, titled "Characterization and elimination of pharmaceutical residues in the wastewater of the city of Ouagadougou by adsorption on activated carbons," highlighted the environmental risks posed by antibiotics entering water systems. He identified two significant concerns toxicity to aquatic organisms and humans, and the potential for bacterial resistance.
Sanou's study aimed to both identify antibiotic residues in Ouagadougou's wastewater and develop a method to eliminate them. He detected five antibiotics—amoxicillin, ceftriaxone sodium, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, and gentamicin—using a sensitive fluorescence method, finding varying concentrations of these substances in the water.
To address the issue, Sanou prepared activated charcoal from Typha Australis using phosphoric acid, resulting in four variants TA-450, TA-500, TA-550, and TA-600. He examined their adsorption capacities through various models and determined that TA-600 was the most effective, with chemisorption as the primary adsorption mechanism.
Sanou's findings suggest that utilizing Typha Australis not only helps control its spread in aquatic ecosystems but also offers a sustainable solution for wastewater treatment. His work has been recognized in the international journal Water Environment Research, and he plans future studies on TA-600's efficacy in removing other pollutants.
The thesis defense jury, led by Professor Samuel Par and including several experts, praised Sanou's research quality and awarded him the doctoral degree. Sanou is planning further research to explore TA-600's potential in removing additional contaminants from wastewater.