The Department of Soil, Water and Environment

The Anaerobic Fermentation group is dealing with breaking down organic wastes to produce Methane (CH4) and useful residual materials. The laboratory is dealing with the increasing concern over environmental degradation and the danger of non-sustainable development as well as the need for alternative (“green”) energy from renewable resources, which has enhanced the role of environmental management of ecosystems. The use of Biogas technology of solid and liquid manure from the cow barn was demonstrated as a means of reducing environmental hazards, as well as other organic wastes such as poultry manure, instant coffee waste, cotton stalks, olive oil mills’ and wineries’ wastewater, etc.

Today, anaerobic digestion is widely accepted as a sound technology for many waste treatment applications, and novel reactor designs are being applied on a commercial scale. In spite of this acceptance, advances are still being made, and developments in this department are concentrating on the uses of the digested slurry. New and already developed approaches and processes for upgrading the quality and use of the effluent from anaerobic digestion are the reason for more economical uses of bioenergy processes.

Biogas production combines the short-term economic needs of our communities with conservation and the end of ecological degradation.
Prof. Marchaim initiated and became Director (1977) of the National Project “NEFAH - Utilization of Agricultural Wastes” and was responsible for building 3 full scale Biogas plants in Israel and plants in Italy and Yugoslavia, as well as being a consultant to the World Bank. We are involved now in implementing innovation in several industries in the Galilee dealing with Water-Technology as part of EU projects.