Abstract
Pig farming is a significant economic activity in the food industry and the meat trade. However, pig slaughterhouses release their waste through effluents, which may spread pathogenic microorganisms and degrade the environment, particularly in bodies of water. The aim of the present study was to assess the efficiency of the Australian wastewater treatment system and the quality of the Effluent Treatment Station (ETS) of a pig slaughterhouse, which flows into the Laranja Azeda stream in the city of Dourados (State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil). Effluentsampling was carried out in the ETS using treatment ponds (Australian system), from the input to the output, over a period of one year. Physicochemical and biological parameters were assessed to measure the effluentquality. The results showed a reduction in organic matter and microorganisms. The concentration of dissolved oxygen, pH, effluent temperature, redox potential, as well as the amount of coliforms, exhibited a significant reduction (p<0.005). The waste management brought by the ETS promoted the removal of pollutants from the effluent. However, these procedures were not enough to satisfy Brazilian and international parameters proposed by the WHO, which regulate the dumping of waste into water bodies.
Highlights
In recent years, pig meat production on an industrial scale has achieved high levels of profitability, mainly due to technological innovations
In Brazil, according to the standards recommended by a specialized agency (CONAMA – Conselho Nacional do Meio Ambiente), effluents produced by the swine industry should receive adequate treatment in effluent treatment stations (ETS) before being released into receiving water bodies (BRASIL, 2000; 2005; 2011)
The treated effluent may be released into the receiving water body without causing damage to the aquatic environment health, in accordance with the physicochemical and microbiological parameters recommended by current legislation
Summary
Pig meat production on an industrial scale has achieved high levels of profitability, mainly due to technological innovations. In Brazil, according to the standards recommended by a specialized agency (CONAMA – Conselho Nacional do Meio Ambiente), effluents produced by the swine industry should receive adequate treatment in effluent treatment stations (ETS) before being released into receiving water bodies (BRASIL, 2000; 2005; 2011). The treated effluent may be released into the receiving water body without causing damage to the aquatic environment health, in accordance with the physicochemical and microbiological parameters recommended by current legislation. Continuous monitoring of these quality parameters from agroindustrial effluents is essential for the efficient management of urban rivers
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