Laboratory facilities

LeAF has her laboratory in the Technotronbuilding of Wageningen UR and therefore excess to several facilities.

LeAF lab

LeAF lab


The LeAF laboratory is equipped with (rotary shaking) incubators for BMP, biodegradation and other tests and set-ups for special short-term experiments, like e.g. pH and temperature controlled formation of struvite in waste streams like manure, (digested) sludge or rejection water or other physicochemical processes. LeAF shares its lab with the microbiology lab of ETE with an anaerobic hood, two microscopes (one stereo) equipped with a digital camera and connected to a computer for imaging analysis, and equipment to flush headspaces and to create specific headspace compositions in batch tests. This makes it possible to conduct (batch)experiments under all desired conditions.


Cabine Modutech


Cabine Modutech

LeAF has permanent access to a cabin in the Modutech facility (Modular Biobased and Environmental Sciences and Technology Facility). The cabin can be used for (long-term) research on anaerobic and/or aerobic treatment of biomass or waste streams with custom-made reactors and CSTR systems enabling us to accommodate clients in almost all cases. The continuous systems may be operated at mesophilic or thermophilic conditions. This allows us to meet the wishes of most of our clients. 



There is a pipeline from the sewage treatment plant in Bennekom providing real domestic wastewater if necessary. Since vacuum toilets, no mix toilets and water free urinals have been installed at the department of ETE it is also possible to work with real source separated human waste streams.


Analytisch lab

Analytical facilities


LeAF can make use of the excellent laboratory facilities of ETE consisting of a wet chemical laboratory, a stove and oven facility, the Instrumental Laboratory (GC, LC, LC-MS), a Metal Laboratory equipped with an ICP-OES and an AAS system for analysing metals. Also, recently an XRD was installed which may assist us in research e.g. to analyse the composition of inorganic materials like struvite or for TGC analysis. Within ETE there is a certified service laboratory available that can perform analyses upon request. LeAF is cooperating with this laboratory for e.g. COD, N, and P analysis or for the assessment of biogas composition (CH4, CO2, N2O and others). These analytical facilities allow LeAF to quantify a wide range of parameters in a reliable way.