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MISSION
STATEMENT
We
at Centre for Environmental Studies shall strive constantly
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To
educate the future leaders of the environmental profession
and to inculcate skills and foundations for life- long
learning and growth.
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To conduct research and create new knowledge as an integral
part of our education programme and the continued renewal
of the profession.
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To contribute towards sustainable management and utilization
of natural resources, combat and reduce pollution of air,
water and soil, enhance technical management knowledge
and develop and promote technology for sustainable management.
INFRASTRUCTURAL
FACILITIES
The
Department of public Health Engineering was established in the
year 1955, with the assistance from the World Health Organization
(WHO). It was upgraded into the Centre for Environmental Studies
(CES) in 1982. The Centre has a rich tradition of teaching,
continuing education, research, consultancy and extension programmes.
Infrastructure facilities available at the Centre include an
advanced Research Laboratory, Analytical Laboratories, Environmental
Microbiology Laboratory, Unit Operations and Processes Engineering
Laboratory, Waste Processing Technology Demonstration Plant,
Tool Room, Computing Facility and Environmental Information
Centre. To ensure uninterrupted power supply, the Centre has
a 125 KVA Generator. The Centre also has a Metro LOG TDL14 Data
Logger which is a complete measurement system to detect and
store meteorological data. All the laboratories in the Centre
have been upgraded to International Standards under an Indo-German
Project (1996 – 2001).
Research
Laboratory
The
Research Laboratory with an area of 120 sq.m. houses the state
of the art equipment and reactors. It has 6 worktables and the
laboratory is designed to accommodate about 15 researchers.
At present, the laboratory houses the following equipment: Sophisticated
Bioreactors, Anaerobic Glove – box, Lyophilizer, Refrigerated
Centrifuge, Autoclave, Ovens, Electrophoresis Unit and other
routine instruments used for research work.
Analytical
Laboratories
Analytical
Laboratories have been modernized to international standards
for housing the state of the art equipment and for training
the technical personnel in operation and maintenance of water
and wastewater treatment plants. The laboratories with an area
of 280 sq.m. and an Instrumentation Laboratory with an area
of 140 sq.m. The Instrumentation Laboratory houses sophisticated
instruments for analysis of water, wastewater, air and soil
for physical and chemical parameters including heavy metals.
Major instruments available are: Hydroid Atomic Absorption Spectrometer
(F-AAS), Graphite Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (G-AAS), BOD
analyzer, Mercury analyzer, Flame photometer, TOC analysers,
SO2 and NOx analysers, Gas Chromatography, High Performance
Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Ion Chromatography, Spectroflurometer,
U.V. Visible Spectrophotometer, Colorimeter, Ion Meters, Ion
Selective Electrodes, Field test kits, Gas Monitors, Extractable
Organic Halogenes (EOX) analyzer, Absorbed Organic Halogenes
(AOX) analyzer, Dissolved Oxygen (DO) meters and Precision balances.
All physical/chemical and biological analysis of water and wastewater
are done in the laboratories.
Environmental Microbiology Laboratory
The
Environmental Microbiology Laboratory upgraded with special
assistance from the University Grants Commission has been modernized
under the GTZ project. This air-conditioned Laboratory has an
area of 450 sq.m. and is well equipped for analysis of water,
sewage, industrial wastes, soil and air samples for microbiological
components and for conducting research at Postgraduate levels
and Doctorate levels. The major equipment available in the laboratory
are Phase contrast microscope, Stereo microscope, Scanning microscope,
Projection microscope, Refrigerated centrifuge, Incubators,
Deep freezer, Laminar flow chamber, Shaker, Constant temperature
water-bath, Refrigerator, Colony counter, BOD analysers, Autoclaves,
Ovens and Portable water analysis kits.
Unit
Operations and Processes Engineering Laboratory
The
Unit Operations and Processes Engineering Laboratory has been
modernized for housing the state of the art equipment and reactors.
The laboratory with an area of 180 sq.m. has 12 movable and
6 fixed work tables and will enable 20 students/researchers
to conduct experiments. A unique feature of the laboratory is
the provision of overhead water supply, electricity and air
supply. The laboratory houses field sampling equipment and major
equipment such as Photochemical Reactors, Bioreactors, Air Compressor,
Stirrers, Peristaltic Pumps, Filter Press, Demineralization
Plant, Softening Plant, Reverse Osmosis Unit, Sonicator, Ozonator,
High Pressure Jet Impinger, High Speed Centrifuge, Sieve Shaker,
Autoclave, Distillation Unit, Model Skimmer, Rotary Vacuum Evaporator
and Bench Scale Treatment Plant models.
Waste
Processing Technology Demonstration Park
The
Waste Processing Technology Demonstration Park is located adjacent
to CES, serves the objectives of treating the sanitary sewage
of Anna University campus, acting as an eco-technology park
and as a field research plant for CES and as a training centre
for the operators of Sewage Treatment Plants. The facilities
at this plant include, sewage collection and pumping stations,
screens and grit separators, Oxidation Ditch Treatment System,
Root Zone Treatment system, Stabilization ponds, Fish ponds,
Activated Sludge Treatment Plant, Aerated lagoon, Bio composter
and Sludge Treatment units. The treated wastewater is recycled
for campus gardening. The food waste from the campus are composted
and used for horticulture activities.
Tool
Room
A
unique facility of the Centre created under the Indo –
German Project is the tool room to carry out internal servicing
of all the instruments and equipment of the various laboratories
to minimize the down time. It has an area of 40 sq.m. the tool
room houses 4 work tables for electrical, electronic, fine machines
and turning/drilling. A Micro Lathe, High Precision Bench Drilling
Machine, Grinding Machine, High Speed Cutter, Hand Drilling
Machines, Electric Saw for mechanical works, Dual Beam Oscilloscope,
Auto Transformer, Function Generator and a temperature controlled
Soldering Station are available here.
Computing
Facility
The
upgraded computing facility consists of fifteen workstations
equipped with Intel. Pentium III Processors and a server to
which the fifteen-workstations are connected via 16-port HUB
to form a NETWORK. A A0 size digitizer is also available. A
direct glass fibre cable connection to link the Centre with
internet is also available.
Environmental
Information Centre
The
Environmental Information Centre with an area of 100 sq.m. incorporates
the centre’s library and the Environmental Information
System Library. There are about 4000 books/publications in the
areas of Environmental Microbiology, Environmental Chemistry,
Water Treatment, Air Pollution Control, Ecology, Environmental
Toxicology, Hazardous Waste Management, Sewerage and Sewage
Treatment, Industrial Waste Water Treatment and Solid Waste
Management, Mathematics and Computers and a collection of Videos
on Environmental Engineering and Sciences. The Library regularly
subscribes to about 15 journals.
Auditorium
The
fully air-conditioned Muthian Auditorium of the Centre has all
modern facilities such as the state of the art projection units
and recording units for conducting international meeting. The
Auditorium can accommodate 125 persons.
Conference
Room
A
modern Conference room built for conducting refresher courses,
workshops and group discussions is an asset to the Centre. This
air conditioned room has an area of 70 sq.m. and can accommodate
about 35 individuals. The facilities available here include
Overhead Projector, Multimedia Projector, Flip chart, Poster
frames, Magnetic writing board, etc. A unique feature of the
conference room is the special light arrangements to ensure
pleasing and effective work environment.
RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
The
Centre is involved in fundamental and applied research work.
Assessment of chemical and biological characteristics of water
bodies, treatment and reuse of wastewater by advanced oxidation
processes, biomagnification, groundwater recharge, ground water
contamination and solute transport modeling, degradation of
toxic wastes such as phenol, removal of toxic pollutants by
aquatic plants, energy flow and management of community wastes,
air pollution modeling and monitoring are some of the areas
of investigation at the Centre. Other thrust areas identified
include microbial degradation of toxic pollutants, membrane
processes and by product recovery, development of Solar Photocatalytic
Reactors, cost effective design of water distribution systems,
remote sensing and GIS application in environmental studies,
solid waste management and hazardous waste management. Twenty
Ph.D research studies have been completed and presently, forty
candidates are working on their Ph.D programmes, and 10 students
are working for M.S Degree by Research.
The
Centre has been funded by various National/International Agencies
for carrying out sponsored research activities. Fifteen research
projects have been completed and presently seven research projects
are going on. The sponsoring organizations include DST, USEPA,
AICTE, MoEF, Ministry of Rural Department, UNICEF, UNDP, SIDA,
IWS, University Grants Commission, Tamilnadu Water supply and
Drainage Board, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research,
Ministry of Rural Affairs and Employment, Central Pollution
Control Board and Tamilnadu Pollution Control Board.
CONSULTANCY SERVICES
Over
the last five decades, the Centre acquired a tremendous amount
of experience in the analytical field including determination
of heavy metals, trace organics and pathogenic micro-organisms
and has been sharing the experience by undertaking research
and consultancy projects to benefit the industry. The consultation
contracts of the Centre have been from many organizations, few
of which includes Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO),
Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), Larsen &
Toubro (L&T), Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority
(CMDA), Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) companies in
Tamilnadu, Tamil Nadu Petroproducts Ltd., GMR Power Corporation,
Federation of CEPTs in Tirupur, Ministry of Environment and
Forests, Government of India, Brakes India Ltd., Chennai Metropolitan
Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Tamilnadu Water Supply and
Drainage Board, Tamilnadu Pollution Control Board, Industrial
Finance Corporation of India, and German Technical Co operative
Agency (GTZ), Germany.
The
Centre offers consultancy services in the areas of
Water and wastewater processing/recycling.
Water Distribution and Sewerage Systems.
Biotechnology for wastewater treatment.
The kinetics of degradation of organic contents.
Cleaner Production.
Natural/biological water and wastewater treatment.
Advanced oxidation processes for wastewater treatment.
Hazardous waste management.
Information about the organic and inorganic contents.
Environmental Impact assessment of Developmental Projects.
Technical evaluation of common effluent treatment plant.
Environmental auditing.
Environmental management systems.
Solid waste management.
Environmental analysis.
Onsite sampling and testing.
Laboratory design and construction.
CONTINUING EDUCATION
AND TRAINING PROGRAMMES
The
Centre, realising the importance and catering to the needs of
the in-service and practicing Engineers and Scientists conducts
tailor-made continuing education programmes by way of organizing
seminars, symposia, conference, workshops and other short term
training programmes in the emerging and threshold areas of development.
With the help of the newly reconstructed waste processing demonstration
unit at the Anna University campus, the CES has been able to
conduct training for sewage treatment plant engineers and plant
operators.
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
(a) Funding Agencies
Indo-German Project at CES German Govt engaged GTZ to support
a Development Co-operation project at CES I Phase (1996-99)
II Phase (1999-2001)
Asian Regional Research Program on Environmental Technology
funded by SIDA
UGC-DSA SAP Programs
DST-FIST Programs
UGC-DSA-COSIST Programs
MOEF Recognized as Environmental Information Centre
Centre of Excel lance in Environmental Sciences in Anna University
approved by UGC
(b)
Memorandum of Understanding
German
Technical Cooperation (GTZ)
Bremen Overseas Research and Development Association, Germany
Institute National de la Research Agronomique, France
University of Applied Sciences, Sudenberg, Germany
University of Hannovar, Hannovar, Germany
The Indo-German Project at the CES
In 1994, the German Government agreed to support a Development
Co-operation project at the CES and the contract was signed.
As a rule, the projects are commissioned by Ministries and Government
agencies. The German Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Development
engaged the GTZ to execute this project in partnership with
the CES.
For
further details contact:
Director, Centre for Environmental Studies, Anna University,
Chennai – 600 025, India.
Tel: ++ 91 + 44 2235 4296, ++ 91 + 44 2235 1723 Ex: 3192, ++
91 + 44 2220 3192 Fax: ++ 91 + 44 2235 4717
e-mail: dirces@vsnl.com
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