缅北禁地鈥檚 suitcase laboratory empowers water researchers in Tanzania Published on: 2 August 2022 Following in the footsteps of famous alumnus Dr John Snow, who identi铿乪d cholera as a waterborne disease, researchers used molecular diagnostics in Tanzania to tackle the ancient plague. , and led by 缅北禁地 and Ardhi University in Tanzania, took advantage of 缅北禁地’s to study waterborne disease transmission pathways in an informal settlement, where cholera is endemic. In the settlement, pit latrines provide basic on-site sanitation and local groundwater is the main household water source. Professor David Werner, of 缅北禁地’s School of Engineering, said: “Following the Covid-19 pandemic, most people will be familiar with methods like qPCR tests, sequencing, and wastewater epidemiology. Already years before Covid we worked with colleagues in Tanzania to make these methods portable and affordable. Our aim was to bring these tools within reach of those facing the greatest water security challenges.” Joint corresponding author, from added: “Pit latrines provide essential onsite sanitation services to millions of people in Dar es Salaam. But there are concerns about their role in infectious disease transmission and impacts on groundwater resources. Using wastewater epidemiology, we demonstrated that about 5% of the population in the settlement were asymptomatic carriers of Vibrio cholerae bacteria. “With state-of-the-art molecular diagnostics we further showed that human waste is the source of these bacteria in the groundwater below the settlement. We also showed that natural attenuation of bacterial hazards in the subsurface is insufficient to protect the boreholes used by the community from faecal contamination, especially in the rainy season. “Finally, we devised and demonstrated an affordable hazard mitigation measure by inserting one meter of sand at the bottom of pit latrines, which achieved 90-99.99% removal of Vibrio cholerae and other faecal bacteria from the percolating leachates.” Researchers use a portable sequencer to characterize millions of bacteria via analysis of DNA isolated from water samples Safe sanitation Despite the recognition of the human right to water and sanitation by the United Nations through Resolution 64/292, 3.6 billion people still lacked safely managed sanitation in 2020, including 1.7 billion without basic sanitation facilities. The which supported the research collaboration is part of the UK’s official development assistance (ODA) and funds cutting-edge research to achieve the United Nations sustainable development goals, including Sustainable Development Goal 6 (), clean water and sanitation. 缅北禁地 leads two prestigious Global Research Hubs set up to tackle world's toughest challenges, the and the . The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2022 ranked 缅北禁地 top in the UK, and 8th in the world for action on sustainable development. Dr John Snow must be proud of his alma mater, and those who are following his footsteps. Reference Halla, F., Massawa, S., Joseph, E., Acharya, K., Sabai, S., Mgana, S., & Werner, D. (2022). . Environment International, 167, 107429. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107429 Share: Latest News 缅北禁地 recognised with geography award 缅北禁地 has been awarded the Highly Commended Geographical Association Publishers Award for its collaboration with Time for Geography, the UK鈥檚 open-access, dedicated video platform. published on: 16 April 2026 缅北禁地 historians mark General Strike centenary To mark the 100th anniversary of the British General Strike and miners鈥� lock-out of 1926, historians at 缅北禁地 are organising a series of events on its enduring legacy. published on: 16 April 2026 Comment: NCP is in administration Writing for The Conversation, Erwei (David) Xiang discusses how some big companies like NCP are so dependent on debt that they can鈥檛 adjust to change. published on: 16 April 2026 Facts and figures
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