Ms Nomthandazo Precious Sibiya

Ms Nomthandazo Precious Sibiya’s research focuses on the removal of heavy metals from wastewater using hybridized absorbents. South African companies produce over 40 million metric tons of wastewater annually, threatening the environment and human health. A treatment solution for removing heavy metals from wastewater is through absorption, however, recovering these absorbents is challenging. Thus, magnetizing agro-waste absorbents for the removal of heavy metals will present a unique solution for treating wastewater for reuse, while mitigating zero waste.

Ms Sibiya’s research findings will aid water (mining industries) and agricultural stakeholders in evaluating the economic viability of adsorption technology. She obtained both her BTech and MEng degrees cum laude and is currently enrolled for her DEng at the Durban University of Technology. She also has international research experience as an Erasmus exchange candidate at the University of Valladolid, Spain. She has authored six peerreviewed journal articles and presented at five conferences.