Page 22 - YSCC poetry booklet 2021
P. 22
A Haiku on the Photo Fermentative
Treatment of Industrial Wastewater
Red bright life, feed on
the dross of our industry:
Our waters flow clear.
What message would you like to share through your poem?
The haiku encapsulates the concepts which drive a significant
portion of my research: the treatment of industrial wastewaters with
photosynthetic bacteria. Without trying to fully explain, let’s delve
in superficially at least – “Red bright life” refers to my use of
photosynthetic bacteria, driven by (bright) light, and rich in
bacteriochlorophyll A, which gives them a dark red colouration. “feed
on // the dross of our industry” reminds the reader that there is no such
thing as waste; even industrial effluents can be food for life. A route to
nutrient recycling, the circular economy, and waste utilisation are key to
our continued success. And finally “our waters run clear” suggests the
return to pristine waterways, unperturbed by industrial effluents. South
Africa is a water scarce country – we need our waters to run clear, and
clearly run.
poetry booklet V5 25 02 2020.indd 22 2021/03/09 09:33:19
