Abstract
Nitrogen removal from wastewater often requires a highly cost of chemical treatment to prevent over loading of nutrient in effluent discharge to the surface water body. However, to remove nitrogen it requires a complex process. Therefore, the aim of this study is to develop an aerated rock filter (ARF) system design under Malaysia condition. A pilot-scale VFARF with 2.0 m height and 0.3 m diameter and a HFARF with 1.0 m long and 0.3 m wide and 0.5 m height has been developed at Taman Bukit Perdana Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Batu Pahat, Johor to monitor the performance of the ARFs for nitrogen removal from domestic wastewater. The optimum value of HLR and aeration rate was 2.72 m 3 /m 3 .day and 10 L/min, respectively. For monitoring the effectiveness of the VFARF and HFARF, influent and effluent twice a week grab samples have been collected and analysed for TKN, Ammonia Nitrogen, BOD5, COD, TSS, Alkalinity, E- coli, pH, Dissolved Oxygen and Temperature. From the study, it was found that the VFARF system has outperformed as the removal efficiency of TKN, AN, TSS, and E-coli was 89%±7%, 97%±2%, 86%±17%, and 97%±2%. The removal efficiency was slightly lower in the HFARF as their removal was 78%±11%, 71%± 12%, 88%±15%, and 91%±16% for TKN, AN, TSS, and E-coli . However, their performance insignificant in removing organic matter, BOD5, COD as the removal efficiencies in the VFARF and HFARF were 84%±13%, 65%±23% and 85%±12%, 75%±21%, respectively. Alkalinity, pH and DO profiles for VFARF and HFARF systems effluent values were average at 107.08±28.35 mg/L, 7.14±0.27, 5.20±0.84 mg/L, 147.24±16.20 mg/L, 6.99±0.15 and 3.75±0.37 mg/L, respectively. Temperature value for this VFARF and HFARF system was 31.1±1.1oC. From monitoring study between VFARF and HFARF, it found that VFARF system was outperformed than the HFARF in removing nitrogen from domestic wastewater.
Highlights
Nowadays, eutrophication problems in developing countries are related to high nutrient in domestic wastewater discharge
The demand of appropriate low-cost technology and an economic effective system are crucial as an improvement to the existing treatment systems for treating high nutrient wastewater and towards the new effluent discharge compliance
Aerated system has been explored to enhance the removal of ammonium nitrogen from domestic wastewater in the UK [4]
Summary
Eutrophication problems in developing countries are related to high nutrient in domestic wastewater discharge. To remove nitrogen from domestic wastewater with high nutrient using conventional system are expensive due to utilization of chemicals, high operational and maintenance cost, lack of treatment capacity, efficiencies, stability and space requirements [2]. Aerated system has been explored to enhance the removal of ammonium nitrogen from domestic wastewater in the UK [4]. Aerated Rock Filter (ARF) emerged as one of the attractive treatment system for nitrogen removal as the system is simple to operate, low operation and maintenance costs, low energy requirements, and overall ‘low technology’ [5]. This study was focused on the ARF system performance monitoring of optimum HLR and aeration rate with steel slag as filter media in pollutants removal from domestic wastewater
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