Maturation Ponds Research Articles

Evaluation of physical, chemical, and microbiological characteristics of waste stabilization ponds, Giza, Egypt

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) contain a diverse array of microbes, underscoring the need for regular monitoring to ensure treatment efficacy and protect health. However, detailed studies on waste stabilization ponds (WSPs) are scarce. This study evaluates a full-scale WSP, located in Giza Governorate, Egypt, including anaerobic, facultative, and maturation ponds, examining an array of parameters such as enteric viruses, microeukaryotes (protozoa and algae), bacterial indicators, bacterial pathogens, and physicochemical characteristics. Utilizing multivariate statistical models, we identified significant distinctions in physicochemical parameters and microbial communities, primarily driven by treatment stages rather than temporal variations. In addition, seven viruses (human rotavirus, adenovirus, norovirus, astrovirus, hepatitis A virus, polyomavirus, and papillomavirus) were detected during the different stages (inlet, anaerobic, facultative, and outlet) of the WSP, except norovirus and papillomavirus were absent in the outlet stage. The viral log means reductions ranged from 1.24 to 5.94, depending on the stage and virus type. The removal efficiency of bacterial pathogens was more than 99%. High throughput 18S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing indicated the dominance of animal parasitic Apicomplexa species and Vermamoeba spp. in the WSP. Network analysis indicated significant roles for Ciliophora in virus reduction. Notably, the maturation pond's outlet was dominated by Spirulina maxima, whose mat-forming tendencies may inhibit pathogen removal by providing protective shelters. Although the WSP effectively reduced pathogen levels, the high initial loads resulted in considerable concentrations in the final effluent, posing ongoing public health concerns. This study highlights the imperative of including pathogen standards in national regulations for wastewater reuse.

Taxonomic variation, plastic degradation, and antibiotic resistance traits of plastisphere communities in the maturation pond of a wastewater treatment plant.

Wastewater treatment facilities can filter out some plastics before they reach the open environment, yet microplastics often persist throughout these systems. As they age, microplastics in wastewater may both leach and sorb pollutants and fragment to provide an increased surface area for bacterial attachment and conjugation, possibly impacting antimicrobial resistance (AMR) traits. Despite this, little is known about the effects of persistent plastic pollution on microbial functioning. To address this knowledge gap, we deployed five different artificially weathered plastic types and a glass control into the final maturation pond of a municipal wastewater treatment plant in Ōtautahi-Christchurch, Aotearoa/New Zealand. We sampled the plastic-associated biofilms (plastisphere) at 2, 6, 26, and 52 weeks, along with the ambient pond water, at three different depths (20, 40, and 60 cm from the pond water surface). We investigated the changes in plastisphere microbial diversity and functional potential through metagenomic sequencing. Bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA genes composition did not vary among plastic types and glass controls (P = 0.997) but varied among sampling times [permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA), P = 0.001] and depths (PERMANOVA, P = 0.011). Overall, there was no polymer-substrate specificity evident in the total composition of genes (PERMANOVA, P = 0.67), but sampling time (PERMANOVA, P = 0.002) and depth were significant factors (PERMANOVA, P = 0.001). The plastisphere housed diverse AMR gene families, potentially influenced by biofilm-meditated conjugation. The plastisphere also harbored an increased abundance of genes associated with the biodegradation of nylon, or nylon-associated substances, including nylon oligomer-degrading enzymes and hydrolases.IMPORTANCEPlastic pollution is pervasive and ubiquitous. Occurrences of plastics causing entanglement or ingestion, the leaching of toxic additives and persistent organic pollutants from environmental plastics, and their consequences for marine macrofauna are widely reported. However, little is known about the effects of persistent plastic pollution on microbial functioning. Shotgun metagenomics sequencing provides us with the necessary tools to examine broad-scale community functioning to further investigate how plastics influence microbial communities. This study provides insight into the functional consequence of continued exposure to waste plastic by comparing the prokaryotic functional potential of biofilms on five types of plastic [linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), nylon-6, polyethylene terephthalate, polylactic acid, and oxygen-degradable LLDPE], glass, and ambient pond water over 12 months and at different depths (20, 40, and 60 cm) within a tertiary maturation pond of a municipal wastewater treatment plant.

Heavy metals in wastewater and fish collected from waste stabilization pond and human health risks in southwestern Ethiopia

IntroductionThis study aimed to measure the concentration of toxic heavy metals in wastewater samples and Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) species inhabiting wastewater (waste stabilization ponds) and evaluate their safety as a food source in southwestern Ethiopia. For this purpose, toxic metals like lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), and mercury (Hg) in wastewater samples and fish tissues (muscle, gill, and liver) were independently examined.MethodsA laboratory-based cross-sectional study was performed to ascertain the levels of Pb, Cd, As, and Hg in the fish tissues of O. niloticus and wastewater samples. Heavy metal levels were analyzed by microplasma atomic emission spectrometry (Agilent 4210 MP-AES) and hydrogen-generated atomic absorption spectrometry (HGAAS, novAA 400P, Germany).ResultsHeavy metal concentrations were measured in the following decreasing order (µg L−1): Cd > Pb > As > Hg in facultative and maturation ponds, with Cd (27.66 µg L−1) having the highest concentration and Hg (0.349 µg L−1) having the lowest concentration. Among the heavy metals detected in the wastewater samples, Hg showed a statistically significant difference between the sampling points (p = 0.023). The maximum metal concentration was measured for Pb (0.35 mg kg−1) and Cd (0.24 mg kg−1) in the muscle tissue of O. niloticus. The value of arsenic (0.02 mg kg−1) detected in fish edible muscles exceeded the FAO/WHO maximum permissible limit (MPL = 0.01) for human consumption. The carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks of consuming fish due to trace metals were relatively low and posed fewer potential threats to human health. According to this finding, children were more susceptible to heavy metal exposure than adults.ConclusionDue to the high quantities of these harmful heavy metals, wastewater from oxidation ponds should not be used for fishing to avoid bioaccumulation. The target carcinogenic risk (TR) and target hazard quotient (THQ) indicated that all heavy metals were below the safe threshold. This research will provide a baseline for monitoring trace metals in various edible aquatic creatures and for future research in artificial habitats and regulatory considerations.

Study of the sizing of a fecal sludge treatment station in the town of Kissidougou (Republic of Guinea)

The management of fecal sludge is a concern for cities in Guinea such as the city of Kissidougou. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of setting up a fecal sludge treatment station at the Songbo public landfill, 3 km from the city center of Kissidougou. The methodology adopted for this study is based on: the choice and installation site of the treatment structure, the determination of the geometric parameters of the station, the identification of construction materials and the estimation of the cost of carrying out the the work. For this reason, the upstream hypotheses were defined and the analytical formulas were used. The emptying flow produced by the urban municipality is estimated at 176 m3/day of materials. The volumes of these works are: optional basin (1300 m3); anaerobic pond (384 m3) and maturation pond (1828 m3). The investment cost of building the station amounts to 25 301 546 000 GNF over a requested area of 2 hectares. However, before the establishment of these stations, the Guinean government, through state structures, should carry out preliminary actions to raise awareness among all stakeholders in the sector and regulate it in order to be able to perpetuate this study project.

Direct greenhouse gases from domestic wastewater treatment plant in Bandung Regency, West Java, Indonesia

Wastewater treatment contributes direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the atmosphere. The study aims to estimate the amount of methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted from domestic wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) in Bandung Regency throughout the years 2019-2022. Wastewater treatment processes in the WWTP consist of anaerobic, facultative, and maturation ponds. Data series of water quality from each process were collected on a monthly basis from years 2019 to 2022 to estimate direct emissions. Emission factors used in this study were derived from IPCC Guidelines and using the Tier 1 method. The highest GHG emission from WWTP Bojongsoang was about 513.44 tonCO2e in December 2021. The monthly average CO2e emissions from year to year increased about 40.12%. The average GHG emission from WWTP Bojongsoang from the year 2019 to 2022 respectively was about 81.33 tonCO2e/month, 135.21 tonCO2e/month, 229.26 tonCO2e/month, and 193.89 tonCO2e/month. Overall, the percentage of CO2e emission from anaerobic pond was about 93.57%, from facultative pond was about 4.86%, and from maturation pond was about 1.57%. The highest CO2e emissions occurred in the anaerobic pond along with the highest COD reduction also took place in the anaerobic pond.

Evaluation of Laboratory Waste Management at Medan State Polytechnic

The notion of a sustainable campus (green campus) may be used to execute higher education's strategic role in contributing to sustainable development. The Strategic Plan of Medan State Polytechnic, at Strategic Objective Point 7 concerning Improving the Quality of Management of Tridharma Implementation, states that one of Medan State Polytechnic's strategic efforts is to implement sustainable development in the form of a green campus. The scoring evaluation based on categories and waste indicators (WS) based on the UI GreenMetric Guideline World University Rankings 2023 received 75 points out of a possible 1800 points, or 4.3%. Furthermore, efforts are made to improve the waste category's scoring by constructing stabilization ponds comprised of anaerobic ponds, facultative ponds, and maturation ponds for wastewater generated from cleaning laboratory equipment, while the remaining concrete material is used as a mixture of Cement Treated Base (CTB).

Análise de desempenho dos sistemas de esgotamento sanitário do Sul do Brasil

ABSTRACT This study assesses the influent and effluent characteristics and the removal efficiency of 56 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) operating in Brazil’s southern region, in the Rio Grande do Sul state. The analysis encompasses the main secondary wastewater treatment processes used in the country, such as septic tank and anaerobic filter, activated sludge with sequencing batch reactor and with extended aeration, upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor followed by trickling filter, anaerobic and facultative ponds, and the combination of anaerobic, facultative, and maturation ponds. The parameters evaluated were biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammoniacal nitrogen (NNH3), total phosphorus (TP), total suspended solids (TSS), and Escherichia coli. The influent concentrations of BOD, COD, and TSS were considerably lower than other values reported in studies in Brazil, indicating that the analyzed WWTPs operate with a diluted influent, with respective average ranges of 38–189, 203–416, and 75–242 mg∙L−1. The effluent concentrations were also lower than the reference values, although the differences were not as pronounced as in the influent. No significant distinctions were observed between the removal efficiencies obtained and other results in the literature, except for TSS, which had a weaker performance. Concerning the technologies, lower performance was observed for BOD, COD, and TSS removal in the septic tank and higher removal rates of TP for the activated sludge systems. This study represents the first comprehensive dataset on the performance of WWTPs in Brazil’s southern region, contributing to the understanding of wastewater management practices in the country by indicating potential points for improvement.

Microbiome analysis reveals Microcystis blooms endogenously seeded from benthos within wastewater maturation ponds.

Toxigenic Microcystis blooms periodically disrupt the stabilization ponds of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Dense proliferations of Microcystis cells within the surface waters (SWs) impede the water treatment process by reducing the treatment efficacy of the latent WWTP microbiome. Further, water quality is reduced when conventional treatment leads to Microcystis cell lysis and the release of intracellular microcystins into the water column. Recurrent seasonal Microcystis blooms cause significant financial burdens for the water industry and predicting their source is vital for bloom management strategies. We investigated the source of recurrent toxigenic Microcystis blooms at Australia's largest lagoon-based municipal WWTP in both sediment core (SC) and SW samples between 2018 and 2020. Bacterial community composition of the SC and SW samples according to 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing showed that Microcystis sp. was dominant within SW samples throughout the period and reached peak relative abundances (32%) during the summer. The same Microcystis Amplicon sequence variants were present within the SC and SW samples indicating a potential migratory population that transitions between the sediment water and SWs during bloom formation events. To investigate the potential of the sediment to act as a repository of viable Microcystis cells for recurrent bloom formation, a novel in-vitro bloom model was established featuring sediments and sterilized SW collected from the WWTP. Microcystin-producing Microcystis blooms were established through passive resuspension after 12 weeks of incubation. These results demonstrate the capacity of Microcystis to transition between the sediments and SWs in WWTPs, acting as a perennial inoculum for recurrent blooms.IMPORTANCECyanobacterial blooms are prevalent to wastewater treatment facilities owing to the stable, eutrophic conditions. Cyanobacterial proliferations can disrupt operational procedures through the blocking of filtration apparatus or altering the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) microbiome, reducing treatment efficiency. Conventional wastewater treatment often results in the lysis of cyanobacterial cells and the release of intracellular toxins which pose a health risk to end users. This research identifies a potential seeding source of recurrent toxigenic cyanobacterial blooms within wastewater treatment facilities. Our results demonstrate the capacity of Microcystis to transition between the sediments and surface waters (SWs) of wastewater treatment ponds enabling water utilities to develop adequate monitoring and management strategies. Further, we developed a novel model to demonstrate benthic recruitment of toxigenic Microcystis under laboratory conditions facilitating future research into the genetic mechanisms behind bloom development.

Growth Performance and Biochemical Composition of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Reared in Membrane Bioreactor Treated Wastewater

The aquaculture sector in Africa has great potential for growth; however, it faces several challenges, one of them being the scarcity of clean water. This prompts the need for water recycling. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of rearing Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) using municipal wastewater treated with membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology. A total of 270 Nile tilapia fingerlings (0.15±0.05 g) were reared in three treatment groups in triplicate. There were 2 treatments, including; MBR treated wastewater and stabilization pond treated wastewater (maturation pond), while the municipal tap water was used as the control. The growth performance (weight and length) of the fish was monitored over a 24-week period. After the experimental period, the biochemical composition of the fish muscle was analysed using standard AOAC methods. The results showed that the highest weight gain, length gain, survival rate, and specific growth were obtained in the fish in the control followed by the MBR treatment. Additionally, the crude protein, as well as the crude fiber and dry matter, were significantly higher in the fish in the maturation ponds at 23.10%, 0.29%, and 25.35%, respectively, while the crude ash was highest in the MBR at 1.22%. Results also showed that the MBR and maturation pond treatments meet the permissible levels for BOD, COD, NH4, and NO3 for water to be used in aquaculture. The bioaccumulation of heavy metals in the fish was mainly from the feed, with copper being the highest contaminant at 1.75 mg/100 g. In conclusion, both the MBR and maturation pond treated wastewater are viable for use in the rearing of Nile tilapia without adverse effect on the growth. However, MBR treatment showed better growth performance, suggesting that it could be used to increase productivity in fish farming.

Microalgae Recovery via Alkaline Flocculation in a Stabilization Pond

Purpose: This research study aimed to investigate alkaline flocculation for the recovery of biomass found in wastewater, with the presence of microalgae collected from the maturation pond of a Wastewater Treatment Station in Brazil. Methods: Alkaline flocculation assays were conducted up to 24 hours after samples were collected due to the nature of alkaline flocculation, which may occur spontaneously if samples are stored for too long. Flocculation was obtained using the three proposed bases: sodium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide and sodium carbonate. Results and conclusion: The efficiency tended to increase with increased pH. Sodium hydroxide as the base produced better results for pH values 11 and 12. Research implications: Possibility of dual use of microalgae, in bioremediation and, in doing so, in the production of biomass that can later be converted into biofuels. Originality/value: The search for sustainable technologies and the possibilities of use presented by microalgae is clear about the need to develop cultivation and harvesting methods that are economically viable.

Sustainable Leachate Treatment Plant System at Landfill Site: A Multicriteria Analysis Approach

Leachate generated from Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) landfill may cause various negative impacts, therefore it should be treated properly in a Leachate Treatment Plant (LTP). The paper aims to select a more sustainable LTP system in Indonesia by applying Analytic Network Process (ANP) as multicriteria analysis approach. 5 alternative LTP systems were analyzed using 5 criteria namely economic, environmental, social, technical, and institutional capacity with a total of 25 sub-criteria. Total 36 respondents from municipality staffs, academics, professionals, and LTP operators were interviewed by adopting pair wise comparison. The results from Driving Dependence Power Analysis (DDPA) showed that sub-criteria for operating costs (E2), maintenance costs (E3), processing effectiveness (T1) and monitoring needs (T3) have the highest dependence power value. Sub-criteria of the operational cost (E2) and the availability of regulations (K2) have the highest driving power value. Main considerations for selecting LTP system at a final disposal site by respondents were economic criteria (weight 0.3219) and water protection sub-criteria (L2, weight 0.17). Top priority of the technology chosen by respondents were Alternative#1 consist of Anaerobic, Facultative and Maturation ponds and Biofilter.

Isolasi dan Identifikasi Awal Bakteri Patogen pada Kolam Maturasi IPLT Supit Urang Kota Malang

The sanitation problem in Malang City is a serious problem. The Supit Urang Fecal Sludge Treatment Plant (IPLT) is intended to improve the processing of fecal waste so that is suitable for disposal into the environment. This study aims to isolate and identifyx the initial types of pathogenic bacteria contained in fecal waste effluent found in maturation ponds. The method used is descriptive exploratory xto provide an overview of the presence of pathogenic bacteria in maturation ponds. The data obtained was then analyzed descriptively in form of data tabulations in tables and diagrams. The result showed that there were four genera of pathogenic bacteria identified in maturation ponds. The four genera are xmembers of the Enterobacteriaceae family, including Escherichia, Salmonella, Klebsiella, and Enterobacter. Microscopically, bacteria were found to be gram-negative with bacilli, cocci, and spiral cell shapes. The presence of pathogenic bacteria in the maturation ponds is thought to be due to thex depth of the pond and the detention time exceeds the standard. Treatment of fecal waste in maturation ponds is not optimal because it still contains harmful pathogenic bacteria, so it needs more intensive processing to make it suitable for disposal into the river.Keywords: fecal sludge, IPLT, maturation pond, pathogenic bacteria

ANALISIS MULTI KRITERIA DALAM PEMILIHAN UNIT BIOLOGIS DI IPAL TUNGGAKJATI, KARAWANG

This study aims to design a domestic wastewater treatment plant for the West Karawang and East Karawang Sub-districts in Karawang Regency, where each sub-district has an area of 13.368 Ha and 2.977 Ha. In 2041, the Tunggakjati WWTP will have a capacity of 48,000 m3/day to serve a population of 404,568 people. The WWTP performance is designed so that the effluent complies with the Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry No. 68 of 2016 concerning Domestic Wastewater Quality Standards for its BOD, COD, and TSS parameter. The biological treatment design consists of three (3) alternatives namely Oxidation Ditch, Complete Mixed Activated Sludge, and Aerated Lagoon, selected based on multi criteria with three (3) aspects, namely economic, environmental and technical aspects consisting of technological considerations, land availability and human resources to operate the technology. The selected biological treatment unit alternative is Aerated Lagoon, because it has high efficiency, human resources for operating the technology are already available, and ease of development. Based on multi criteria analysis all the alternative has high eligibility level to be chosen as technology for domestic waste water treatment. Alternative III, the Aerated Lagoon is the best alternative with the highest score of 60 compared to other alternatives, alternative I is 52.5 and alternative II is 57.5. That concludes the processing units on processing units at the Tunggakjati WWTP consist of collection wells, bar screens, grit chambers, equalization tanks, aerated lagoons, maturation ponds, and sludge drying beds.

Performance of municipal waste stabilization ponds in the Saharan desert (Morocco)

Abstract The majority of cities in the Saharan territory of south Morocco utilize waste stabilization ponds (WSPs) for municipal wastewater treatment because of their relatively low capital, operational costs, and minimal complexity. New national effluent quality regulations have been implemented in Morocco, and they will be applied to all treatment systems. In this study, we chose three cities that are located in the Saharan area characterized by an arid climate and water scarcity. They are facing the challenges of rapid urbanization and the need to improve wastewater treatment and management. Treatment performance is impacted by community water use, pond design, and climate. The performance evaluation concerns seven physicochemical parameters during the year 2020. Monitoring results showed that WSPs in this climate can achieve removal rates between 75% and 85% for organic pollution and total suspended matter, but were challenged to produce effluent quality that meets reuse standards. Performance and statistical analysis have been done and confirm the existence of correlations between these parameters and the climate of the region. For the improvement of the quality of these waters, it is legitimate to upgrade the three WSPs with a tertiary treatment with maturation ponds.

The combined effect of three floating macrophytes in domestic wastewater treatment

We conducted this study to assess the efficiency of the combination of three floating macrophytes (Eichhornia crassipes (water hyacinth), Pistia stratiotes L. (water lettuce), and Lemna minor L. (duckweed)) for the treatment of domestic wastewater. The experiments were performed on a pilot scale consisting of four basins aligned in series: one anaerobic pond, two facultative ponds (containing water hyacinth and water lettuce respectively), and one maturation pond (containing duckweed). The study showed that combining the different macrophytes studied led to significantly reduced pollution in domestic wastewater. Based on inlet pollution loads, water hyacinth pond better eliminate carbon pollution. The water lettuce pond was good at removing nitrogen pollution, and the duckweed pond better-eliminated phosphorus. The overall yield for TSS, COD, BOD5, TKN, and PO43− was 92%, 98%, 98%, 87%, and 80% respectively. Based on the results, combining different floating macrophytes in a domestic wastewater treatment plant could improve its overall treatment performance.

Mathematical modeling and optimization of wastewater stabilization ponds using nonlinear programming

This research work proposes a mathematical optimization model for constructing two ponds (1. Facultative pond and 2. Maturation pond) provided in series. The model uses concrete volume as its objective minimization function. There were two decision variables; the first was the detention time (DT) and the second in the list was the number of provided baffle walls (NBW) in both ponds. The constraint parameters include fecal coliforms and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5). The model was applied with the help of an Add-Ins of MS Office: Excel solver. The generalized reduced gradient algorithm was utilized in the solver (GRG). Before applying the mathematical optimization model, ponds were designed with the conventional method and then using optimized values of the variables. A comparison of the findings reveals that a 13.79 percent reduction in the DT, an 11.55 percent reduction in the area, and a 7.19 percent reduction in the volume of concrete occurred. The reduction values mentioned above are significant since these systems' fundamental drawback is the area's requirement. In addition, sensitivity analyses of the objective function and the removal of pollutants are also provided. The model described above is sensitive to variations in the parameters. Both analyses demonstrated that the effluent characteristics comply with the class-B irrigation standards in Turkey. It is advised to do more optimization studies for WSPs with the help of other algorithms and tools available in the literature for distinct wastewater treatment plants.

Analysis and hydraulic improvement of a maturation pond using Computational Fluid Dynamics

Especially in small communities, little attention is paid to the hydraulic characteristics of wastewater treatment systems. Motivated by this problem, and using the ANSYS fluid dynamics software, the hydrodynamic evaluation of the residual water flow in a rural plant maturation pond was carried out. For the stationary modeling of the velocity and turbulence fields, the standard k-ε model was used; and for transient modeling of virtual tracer transport, the species transport model without chemical reaction was used. Subsequently, the analysis of the distribution of retention times was carried out, in order to obtain the flow patterns that govern the hydrodynamics of the pond. The results revealed the presence of hydraulic short circuits, stagnant zones, and recirculations, due to design deficiencies and operating conditions over the years. Given this situation, and by bibliographic recommendation, new modified geometries were proposed with longitudinal and transverse baffles at 70 and 90% in relation to the width and length of the pond. As a result, the hydraulic characteristics improved notably in all cases; however, the models configured at 90% achieved higher efficiency.

Co‐development of an integrated assessment framework to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of selected nature‐based water treatment technologies in Sri Lanka, The Philippines, and Vietnam

AbstractWater quality is a critical challenge in Asia in the context of growing industrialization, urbanization, and climate change. Nature‐based solutions (NbS) could play an important role in reducing urban water pollution, while generating multiple co‐benefits that could make cities more liveable and resilient. In this regard, a number of pilot and demonstration projects have been set up to explore their potential across cities in Asia. Their effectiveness and impacts, however, have not been adequately documented, thus how they can be sustained, replicated and up‐scaled remain poorly understood. This study aims to contribute to addressing this challenge by co‐developing an integrated assessment framework and employing it to understand how existing evaluations of NbS in the region can be improved. It focuses specifically on a set of nature‐based solutions that have been employed for water treatment across six cities in Southeast Asia (two in each Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and Vietnam), namely, floating wetlands, constructed wetlands and maturation ponds. The study also suggests specific methodologies for capturing a set of core indicators considered relevant for assessing the effectiveness and capturing the multi‐faceted impacts of the examined NbS.

Performance Evaluation of Waste Stabilization Pond for Treatment of Wastewater from a Tertiary Institution Campus Located in Jos North Local Government Area, Plateau State, Nigeria

Appropriate treatment of wastewater before disposal into the environment or reuse is very important in the quest to protect the environment and safeguard public health. This paper investigated the performance evaluation of a waste stabilization pond (WSP) for treatment of wastewater from a tertiary institution campus located in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State in North Central Nigeria. The waste stabilization pond of the tertiary institution campus was designed for a wastewater flow rate of 12,945 m3/day. In order to evaluate the performance of the WSP, a model was developed following the Froude’s number dimensional analysis technique. The model was evaulated based on a wastewater flow of 0.4 m3/day. The final effluent from the maturation pond had 80 mg/L BOD, 195 mg/L COD, 75 CFU/100ml Total Coliforms, 610 mg/L Total solids, 19 mg/L Total Nitrogen, 210 mg/L Chloride, 28 mg/L Phosphate, 1.3 mg/L Ammonia and 7.0 pH. The WSP was able to achieve an overall efficiency of 77.78% reducing all quality parameters to recommended limited with exception of total nitrogen and phosphate. The implementation of this design will go along way to aid the treatment of wastewater from the campus of the university.

Combining planted drying beds to maturation ponds at pilot scale for a comprehensive treatment of faecal sludge in Sub-Saharan Africa

Hight birth rate in developing countries generates huge amounts of faecal sludge to treat at a given time. In sub-Saharan Africa, it is estimated that 95% of households are not connected to a sewerage system for excreta disposal and faecal sludge treatment plant almost absent, thus the necessity of developing cost-effective technologies to contain their harmful effect. In response to this preoccupation, pilot scale experiments combining drying beds to maturation ponds were conducted in Yaounde (Cameroon) for the treatment of faecal sludge. Raw faecal sludge was applied once a week at the load of 200 kg DM/m2/yr. on a 1 m2 section drying bed planted with Echinocloa pyramidalis plant for dehydration. The leachate obtained was subsequently polished in two shallow maturation ponds (50 cm depth) in series, following a varying hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 4, 7 and 10 days. Results showed the set-up to be effective at 10 days HRT in reducing significantly (p<0.05) nutrient and organic pollutants as well as faecal coliforms in the final effluent compared to 4 and 7 days. However, suspended solids removal remained inefficient due to high algal biomass. The performance of the system enabled the treatment to meet the requirements of the Cameroonian guidelines for discharge and reuse in non-restricted agriculture. These results constitute advancement towards a comprehensive treatment of faecal sludge with the perspective of reuse of the effluent. Validation of this treatment scheme at full scale is ongoing for its adoption and implementation in the Cameroon national sanitation strategy.