Abstract
The study was to determine the seasonal differences of conventional wastewater treatment process. This was done by sampling and analyses of wastewater samples from four different points during the dry and wet seasons of the year 2019. Water samples were taken from influent point, primary effluent, trickling filter effluent and final effluent. Gravimetric method was used in determining Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). The BOD 5 technique was used for determination of Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and the digestion method was used for determination Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD). Temperature, pH and conductivity were measured using respective meters. Analysis of Variance showed that there was significant difference (p < 0.05) in all the parameters quantified at all the points of treatment during the two seasons. The results showed that BOD and COD both reduced from one point to the next during the two seasons of study. The TSS levels increased after primary pond effluent undergoing treatment at the trickling filter and the temperature also increased after the trickling filter effluent undergoing treatment at oxidation ponds. The levels of conductivity and TDS decreased from one treatment stage to the next during dry season but during the wet season the levels of these parameters increased from one stage to the next except that the levels reduced after the primary pond effluent underwent treatment at the trickling filter. The various stages of wastewater treatment plant under were effective during the two seasons however, wet season recorded lower figures for most of the parameters. Keywords: effluent, influent, wastewater, seasonal variation, ponds DOI: 10.7176/JEES/11-7-06 Publication date: July 31 st 2021
Highlights
Wastewater contains high levels of organic matter from industrial, agricultural and human wastes
All the parameters were analysed in triplicates; Temperature and pH were tested in situ while Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and conductivity were analysed at the Eldoret Water and Sanitation Company (ELDOWAS) laboratory
The COD and BOD reduced consistently as the wastewater underwent treatment at the various stages of treatment but, TDS, conductivity, temperature and pH were inconsistent in their reduction from one point to the (Figure 2a, b, c and d)
Summary
Wastewater contains high levels of organic matter from industrial, agricultural and human wastes. The organic matter is removed by the process of wastewater treatment. Wastewater treatment involves physical, biological and chemical removal of organic matter and other constituents (Ramesh, 2004). Release of insufficiently treated effluent containing huge amounts of nutrients to the waterways might allow poses threat to human safety (Wakelin et al, 2008). Safeguarding of river, which is always the recipient of wastewater effluent, requires effective monitoring of physicochemical and microbiological parameters (Chandra et al, 2006). Monitoring of phycicochemical parameters during wastewater treatment helps in assessing the quality of the final effluent before being released to the river where we have aquatic life as well as human beings using the same water downstream for a range of purposes.
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