TOPIC INSIGHT • 專題探討 2023 UMAGAZINE 28 • 澳大新語 35 來革命性貢獻，這種教學、科研和創新創業的模式也 有利學生在提升科研實力的同時，把成果結合實際應 用、服務社會。 化智能決策演算法。他們還積極參與創新創業競賽、 學術會議、成果轉化展會，並到企業實習，深入了解 行業最新動態和相關的技術發展和工程應用。惠教 授相信，系統進一步的開發和驗證有望為環保領域帶 澳大團隊開發的「厭氧發酵」監測系統 The automatic analyser for volatile fatty acid (VFA) and alkalinity developed by UM researchers Research teams at the University of Macau (UM) are driving green innovation in fields such as environmental engineering, biotechnology, clean energy, and smart cities through the development of innovative technologies. Their efforts aim to achieve sustainable development goals while also supporting student involvement in starting businesses focused on environmental protection. Currently, several UM research teams are establishing partnerships with businesses to assist Macao in developing a circular economy and helping the city achieve environmental sustainability. Turning Organic Waste Into Valuable Products One UM research team has developed a novel real-time automatic volatile fatty acid (VFA) and alkalinity analyser. The system enables real-time monitoring of VFA content and alkalinity in fermentation industries, ensures efficient operation and provides early warning signals when scaling up production in fermentation systems. Assistant Professor Hao Tianwei and Research Assistant Professor Qian Guangsheng in the Department of Ocean Science and Technology are the project leaders. According to them, from an environmental improvement perspective, cities generate tons of wastewater, sludge, and organic waste such as kitchen waste every day. Anaerobic fermentation technology can reduce environmental pollution caused by various organic waste, and can also turn waste into valuable products. The system utilises VFA content and alkalinity as key indicators in anaerobic fermentation, and has reached technology readiness level 6 (TRL6) in terms of monitoring technology. It has the potential to be implemented in various sectors that depend on fermentation, such as clean energy, food and pharmaceutical processing, and environmental protection. For instance, it can be applied to the fermentation process involved in the production of medical products such as antibiotics, vitamins, and medicinal amino acids; the fermentation of wine, bakery products, and yoghurt; as well as the production of methane and bioplastics. In other words, the system has tremendous economic benefits. ‘By monitoring the anaerobic fermentation process in real time, issues can be detected at an early stage, and corresponding measures can be taken to improve product quality and system controllability,’ says Prof Hao. Traditional VFA monitoring relies on expensive
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