Effects of Sole and Combined Physical Filtration Materials on Physicochemical and Microbiological Properties of Waste Waters

Abstract

Agricultural re-use of waste waters is a feasible alternative for increasing water resources for agriculture. Several methods have been adopted for improving waste water quality for safe re-use in agriculture. However, these methods are complex and difficult to use by local farmers. Hence, a study was conducted to examine the effects of a simple and cost-effective waste water treatment methods on physicochemical and microbial properties of waste waters. The research was conducted in the Department of Crop, Soil and Pest Management, the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA). Waste waters consisted of: fish pond effluent and municipal stream. Materials used for physical filtration of waste waters include: granite, rice husk, charcoal, and pure river sand. Prior to and after treatments, the waste waters were subjected to chemical analysis (pH, electrical conductivity (EC), Nitrate, Cl, P, Ca, and Mg), physical analysis (Total solid, Total dissolved solid and Total suspended solid), and microbiological analysis (Total faecal coliforms, bacteria, yeast and fungi). Results obtained showed that sole and combined applications of physical filtration materials significantly reduced microbial loads in waste waters. Similarly, significant reductions in total solid (TS), total suspended solid (TSS) and total dissolved solid (TDS) were obtained for waters filtered with the filtration materials, both in the single and combined applications. The highest significant pH, EC and chloride were recorded in untreated fishpond effluent (T₁), while fishpond effluent filtered with rice husk (T₅) recorded the highest Significant Ca and Mg. Highest significant Nitrate was recorded in municipal wastewater filtered with rice husk (T₁₁), while highest significant P was obtained at T₅ and T₁₁. Results of this research showed improvement in the quality parameters of waste waters filtered with sole and combined filtration materials.