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Chemical Technology • November 2015
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The Green Talents Award, held under the
patronage of the German Research Minister
Prof Dr Johanna Wanka, is providing a plat-
form for the seventh time to young talents
to share their views on green concepts and
to make our world a better place. Their prize
is one of the treasured tickets to the ‘Green
Talents - International Forum for High Poten-
tials in Sustainable Development’.
The 27 ‘Green Talents’ were honoured
during a festive awards ceremony on 30
October, attended by representatives of
participating institutions, jury members and
other distinguished guests.
South African PhD graduate Dr Kapil
Moothi, whose field of interest encompass-
es Sustainable Technology and Nanotech-
nology Waste Water Treatment, and PhD
candidate Ms Geraldine Brennan, whose
area of expertise encompasses Clean
Production and Management, Humanities
and Climate Change, were both selected
by a high-ranking jury of experts as up-and-
coming international scientists.
This year’s ‘Green Talents’ can expect
two weeks of interaction with leading ex-
perts and world-renowned research institu-
tions and companies, including
, and
. Getting con-
nected to the science community and
exchanging ideas with its key innovators
allows the winners to lay the foundation
for future cooperation. Such efforts are
supported by the invitation to return to
Germany for a fully funded research stay
(up to three months) at an institution of
their choice in 2016.
With the results of his PhD, Kapil Moothi
has contributed to the development of
innovative technologies for economically
viable nanotechnology applications in South
Africa. He is currently developing new prod-
ucts to improve sustainable water treatment
in South Africa.
A major challenge in South Africa, that
Kapil is aware of, is the one of dealing with
Acid Mine Drainage (AMD). This problem
can be found in many South African mines.
The need to purify such polluted acid mine
wastewater in an environmentally sustain-
able manner is a pressing one for the
country. In addition, the protection of public
health and the conservation of water re-
sources are of paramount importance. The
novel step provided by his research would
be the introduction of a new nanotechnol-
ogy to help tackle the issue of AMD. Kapil
also aims to educate the public about the
positive benefits nanotechnology could have
on their lives.
Based on the research outcomes, a
new product is currently being developed
for pilot-scale testing. It is a module that
enables the cleaning of wastewater us-
ing a CNT-infused polymer composite
membrane as the filtration medium. The
planned application would serve to mitigate
environmental challenges; especially for the
petrochemical, metallurgical and pharma-
ceutical industries, where large quantities
of oil-containing wastewater are produced.
While, to many, business and ecology
may not go hand-in-hand, for Geraldine
Brennan, PhD Student in Strategic Man-
agement and Sustainable Development
(Ireland/South Africa), the relationship can
be mutually beneficial. She researches the
various ways in which business can learn
from natural models and, subsequently,
become more sustainable.
Studying at the Imperial College, Lon-
don, UK, Geraldine’s research focus is
understanding the implications of power
dynamics for sustainable value creation in
inter-organisational relationships: a busi-
ness ecosystem case study.
Geraldine’s novel PhD bridges various
management theories and sustainability
science in order to interrogate and draw
attention to the link between power dy-
namics and sustainable value creation.
She believes that, by raising businesses,
awareness of how power-dynamics are un-
dermining their sustainable value creation,
these companies will be better enabled to
contribute to a positive role in creating a
sustainable society.
For more information contact Project Man-
agement Agency c/o German Aerospace
Center (DLR)
European and International Cooperation
Email: Phone: +49 (0)
228 3821 1906
African winners of 2015 Green Talents Award join Germany’s sustainability elite
removing the oxidised surface layer including
all contamination contained with the surface
microstructure. The second zone forms a
reaction layer with the aluminium, providing
galvanic protection, a layer for powder-paint
to adhere to, and bare corrosion protection
of the aluminium while in transition after
the pre-treatment step to the final powder-
coating process.
The powder coating system installed at
Blue Willow Aluminium is the most efficient
and fastest colour change system available
on the market, being Nordson’s most ad-
vanced system available globally. Offering
absolute and consistent process controls, the
system incorporates the ColorMax Booth, the
Encore HD Application equipment, powder
feed pumps and the Spectrum HD powder
feed centre.
For any media queries, please contact
Kirsty Hatt on 0826787697
or email
The green pre-treatment facility.
Geraldine Brennan and Kapil Moothi