Total Suspended Solids Removal Research Articles

Water Quality and the First-Flush Effect in Roof-Based Rainwater Harvesting, Part II: First Flush

Rainwater runoff samples from a range of roofing materials were temporally collected from 19 small-scale roof structures and two commercial buildings through simulated and actual storm events, and the concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phosphorus flame retardants (PFLs), and pyrethroid insecticides and other water quality parameters were analyzed. In Part I of this research, the concentrations of these contaminants in roof runoff and soils receiving runoff from a range of roofing materials were evaluated. In Part II, recommendations have been developed for a first-flush exclusion to improve the quality of water harvesting for nonpotable uses. Recommendations focus on a first-flush diversion based on mass removals of total suspended solids (TSS) and PAHs linked to conductivity measurements throughout a storm event. Additionally, an upper-confidence limit (UCL) was constructed to determine the minimum diversion required to obtain 50, 75, 90, and 95% mass removal of TSS and PAH contaminants. The majority of TSS were produced during the initial 1.2 mm of runoff. Likewise, the majority of PAHs were removed during the initial 1.2 mm of runoff, except for the asphalt shingle roofs, where high PAHs were observed after 6 mm of runoff. The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB)-recommended first-flush diversion of one gallon for every 100 square feet of rooftop was not always adequate for removing 50% of TSS and PAHs from the roofs. Rainwater runoff conductivity decreased drastically between 1.2 to 2.4 mm of rainwater runoff. Diverting the first flush based on conductivity has the potential to also divert the majority of TSS and PAHs in roof runoff.

Flow Rate and Kinetics of Trace Organic Contaminants Removal in Black Carbon-Amended Engineered Media Filters for Improved Stormwater Runoff Treatment

Urban stormwater runoff is considered a key component of future water supply portfolios for water-stressed cities. Beneficial use of runoff, such as capture for recharge of drinking water aquifers, relies on improved stormwater treatment. Many dissolved constituents, including metals and trace organic contaminants (TrOCs) such as hydrophilic pesticides and poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), are of concern due to their toxicity, persistence, prevalence in stormwater runoff, and poor removal in conventional stormwater control measures. This study explores the operational flow rate limitations of black carbon (BC)-amended engineered media filters for removal of a wide suite of dissolved metals and TrOCs and provides validation for a previously developed predictive TrOC transport model. Column experiments were conducted with face velocities of 40 and 60 cm h−1 to assess Douglas Fir-based biochar and regenerated activated carbon (RAC) filter performance in light of media-contaminant removal kinetic limitations. This study found that increasing the face velocity in BC-amended filters to 40 and 60 cm h−1, which are representative of field conditions, decreased the removal of total suspended solids, turbidity, dissolved hydrophilic TrOCs, and PFASs when expressed as volume treated relative to previous studies conducted at 20 cm h−1. Dissolved metals and hydrophobic TrOCs removal were not substantially affected by the increased flow rates. A predictive 1-d intraparticle pore diffusion-limited sorption model with sorption and effective tortuosity parameters determined previously from experiments conducted at 20 cm h−1 was validated for these higher flow rates. This work provides insights to the kinetic limitations of contaminant removal within biochar and RAC filters and implications for stormwater filter design and operation.

The use of Carica papaya seeds as bio coagulant for laundry wastewater treatment

The study aims to analyze the effectiveness of wastewater treatment by using Carica papaya seeds as bio coagulants to diminish total suspended solids (TSS) and excess phosphate. This method has some advantages because it does not use chemical materials, is simple to apply, and is safe for the environment and human health. The wastewater samples were taken from an active laundry site in Palembang City, South Sumatra Province of Indonesia. The study found that the best dosage of coagulant was 3 g for the wastewater samples. The pH and BOD parameters showed slight changes after treatment, with pH 7.63–7.19 and 33–27 mg/L values, respectively. The TSS removal efficiency ranged from 9.3 to 15.6%, while the COD and phosphate removals were obtained from 11.7 to 39.3% and 56.3 to 68.4%, respectively. The treated TSS, COD, and phosphate concentrations have met the Indonesian domestic wastewater quality standard and environmental protection organization (EPO) guidelines. In addition, the statistical analysis and t-test showed significant differences (p < 0.05) for before and after treatment data of all parameters. The ANOVA test showed significant differences (p < 0.05) for all parameters among the three treatments. Overall, the study indicated that C. papaya seeds are promising materials that are eco-friendly and useful to treat laundry wastewater.

Optimal design and modelling of sustainable bio-catalytic enzyme for wastewater treatment using response surface methodology and artificial neural network

ABSTRACT The accessibility of various wastewater treatment systems has become increasingly prominent in current times, coinciding with a rising concern regarding the substantial content of food waste that poses a significant challenge in waste management. In this context, ecoenzymes have emerged as a promising technique for water treatment due to their remarkable efficiency in pollutant removal and cost-effectiveness. Nevertheless, many experts encounter difficulties in determining the optimal combination of ecoenzyme variables to maximize pollutant removal. The objective of this study is to apply a comprehensive approach utilizing Response Surface Methodology (RSM), Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), and Multi-objective Genetic Algorithm (MOGA) methods for the modeling and optimization of ecoenzyme-based water treatment processes. The research outcomes demonstrate a noteworthy alignment between the actual removal rates of Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Volatile Suspended Solids (VSS), and Total Ammonia Nitrogen (TAN) with the values predicted by both RSM and ANN models, validating the robustness of the regression analysis (R2 >0.95). From the optimization results, it is elucidated that to attain the maximum removal of TSS, VSS, and TAN, the treatment process should be conducted over a period of 3.5 days, employing specific enzyme concentrations of 0.07 units/ml for protease, 0.027 units/ml for amylase, and 0.36 units/ml for lipase. This study employed machine learning approaches and MOGA optimization to predict the optimum ecoenzyme properties for maximum wastewater removal utilizing the concept of a low-cost, sustainable purification technology.

A comparative study with vermifilter and geofilter for domestic wastewater treatment and its Phyto-toxicity efficacy

The present study investigated the role of earthworms in pollutant removal and toxicity assay of domestic wastewater. An indigenous reactor (vermigratings as an active layer) was set up for 60 days with a hydraulic loading rate of 1 m3 / m2 -d and hydraulic retention time of 3.5 h to evaluate its performance. Removal of total suspended solids, total dissolved solids, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, and sulfate was found to be 92 %, 93 %, 89 %, 86 %, and 63.43 %, respectively. The Phyto-toxicity test reveals a higher germination rate and plant growth with vermifilter effluent than with geofilter effluent and raw wastewater. Additionally, vermifilter achieved heterotrophic bacteria removal by 1.54-fold. Hence, treated effluent can be used for irrigation purposes. Overall, this study will establish a potential alternative to the conventional wastewater treatment system and achieve Sustainable Development Goals 6.

Fe recovery from drinking water treatment sludge for reuse in tannery wastewater treatment: Machine learning and statistical modelling

This work experimentally and numerically studied the reusability of Fe recovered from water treatment sludge as a coagulant and compared its performance with a commercial coagulant in tannery wastewater treatment. The performance of the recycled and commercial coagulants in total suspended solid (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), color, chromium (Cr3+) and turbidity removal was compared with considering pH, coagulant type and dose as independent variables. Additionally, the process was modelled by two statistical and machine learning procedures, i.e., response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN). For RSM model, a 32 run experimental matrix was designed by factorial design, while ANN model was developed by a dataset extracted from the publications inclusive of the 32 experiments. The results showed Fe recovery rate of 181 mg/g dry sludge. The maximum TSS, COD, color, Cr3+ and turbidity removal by recovered and commercial coagulants were (85 %, 40 %, 42 %, 68 %, and 88 %) and (70 %, 35 %, 49 %, 64 % and 88 %) respectively. ANN COD removal model showed a good prediction in all training, validation and testing phases with R 0.891, 0.963 and 0.917 respectively. While the R for TSS, COD, color, Cr3+ and turbidity statistical models were 0.962, 0.866, 0.960, 0.962 and 0.973 respectively.

The Study of Semi-Continuous Chemical Physical Treatment System for Pollutant Removal in Palm Oil Mill Effluent

Effluent from palm oil mill processing is a major concern due its properties and characteristics that highly contributed to water pollution. This study reported on POME treatment by a semi-continuous treatment system consisting of coagulation, sedimentation and filtration processes in the presence of a by-product coagulant (copperas combined with lime). The treatment was conducted for different types of filter medias (FMs): a) FM 1: sand+activated carbon and b) FM 2: sand+ceramic ring) and various retention times (RT) from 1/2 to 2 h. The treatment resulted in different removal efficiencies of turbidity, colour, chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total suspended solids (TSS) for secondary and tertiary POME samples. With semi-continuous treatment, the pollutants in the secondary POME sample decreased, resulting in the removal efficiency of 57.34% for turbidity, 95.16% for colour, 82.08% for COD and 83.23% for TSS. Meanwhile, the results of the tertiary sample were 54.81%, 81.08%, 78.05% and 68.51% for turbidity, colour, COD and TSS removal respectively. The statistical analysis of ANOVA (p-value&lt;0.05) indicated that the data was statistically significant with the FM 1 as a media filter. As a result, a semi-continous chemical-physical treatment system may provide information in efficient POME treatment.

Pemanfaatan Magnetic Biochar dari Cangkang Sawit Sebagai Adsorben untuk Menyisihkan COD, Total Suspended Solid, Minyak dan Lemak dalam Air Buangan Domestik

Greywater is wastewater from domestic activities sourced from kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry water. Greywater discharged directly into the environment can cause a decrease in surface water quality due to its high organic content, nutrients, pathogenic bacteria, and detergents and surfactants. One method that can be used to remove organic and nutrient content is adsorption. The success of the adsorption process is determined by several factors, such as adsorbent type, dosage, contact time, and others. One adsorbent that has attracted the attention of many researchers in recent years is magnetic biochar. This study aims to remove chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), oil, and grease from greywater with a magnetic biochar adsorbent made from palm shells. The study was conducted by varying the dose of 1.2–8.55 g/l and the contact time of 30–150 minutes. The results showed that increasing the dose and contact time can increase the removal efficiency of COD, TSS, oil, and grease. The best results were obtained at a dose of 8.55 g/l and a contact time of 150 minutes. The removal of COD, TSS, oil, and grease was 87.91%, 88.46%, and 99.96%, respectively.

Perspectives on sustainable process control optimization through reusability of non-regenerated Fenton sludge in landfill leachate treatment

The production of iron-rich waste (Fenton sludge) and the high chemical dosage required in the Fenton-based advanced oxidation process (AOP) harm the environment, making disposal challenges and the technique unsustainable. Thus, finding adequate Fenton sludge (FS) reuse alternatives is critical to addressing the Fenton process's drawbacks in addition to environmental protection. This study signifies that FS could be employed satisfactorily without requiring costly regeneration operations or chemical dosages, such as landfill leachate, during wastewater treatment. In this study, two sets of experiments were carried out utilizing the most often used optimization tools: design of experiments (DOE) (central composite design (CCD)/response surface methodology (RSM). Under optimized conditions, reasonably high chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal of 62 %, total suspended solids (TSS) removal of >95 %, and colour removal of >80 % was obtained after 48 min of reaction time with 84 mL/L sludge reused at pH 3.6. The method's key influencing factors were sludge volume, pH, and reaction time. Furthermore, reused FS exhibited lower toxicity and total volatile solids, indicating that sludge reuse is superior to direct disposal. According to the techno-economic analysis, using non-regenerated sludge as proposed reduces toxic iron-based waste and total wastewater treatment costs.

Seasonal tourism's impact on wastewater composition: Evaluating the potential of alternating activated adsorption in primary treatment

Primary treatment processes have gained attention in recent research and development due to their potential for redirecting carbon towards anaerobic digestion, which can subsequently be used for the production of biomethane. The alternating activated adsorption (AAA) process is implemented on full-scale at several wastewater treatment plants across Europe. However, there is a lack of full-scale studies of advanced carbon capture technology implementations in literature. This study demonstrates the ability of a full-scale AAA process to remove and redirect carbon in a region heavily influenced by tourism. Periods in high and off-season were compared to study the impact of tourism on the composition of the wastewater and the AAA-process. The wastewater characteristics of the high season differed significantly from the low season. During the high season, the PE increased by 37 %, total suspended solids went up by 75 % and chemical oxygen demand increased by 58 %, compared to the low season. Additionally, 80 % of the low volatile lipophilic substances (LVLS) measured were attributed to the impact of tourism. A mass-balance of primary treatment for chemical oxygen demand (COD) and LVLS was conducted for both trial periods. The primary treatment was able to eliminate 56 % of the COD and 62 % of the LVLS in the non-tourist season and 53 % of the COD and 54 % of the LVLS in the tourist season. The increased wastewater load was effectively managed in the AAA-process. Key process parameters like sludge settling characteristics, hydraulic retention time and total suspended solids removal rates remained stable during the high season in winter.

Performance evaluation and parameter estimation of the advanced primary filtration (APF) process in wastewater treatment plants

Conventional technologies employed in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) demand significant energy consumption. Concurrently, the wastewater infrastructure is experiencing a heavy strain as a result of the increased influent loads and pollutants. Advanced primary filtration (APF) is an emerging wastewater treatment process for early removal of suspended solids from raw wastewater. In this work, the APF process comprises of a two-stage filtration system, consisting of a proprietary rotating belt filter (RBF) (collectively known as microsieve) followed by a proprietary continuous backwash upflow media filter (CBUMF). The principal focus of this study is the assessment of the APF process performance, and the prediction of the total suspended solids (TSS) effluent concentrations of the APF process, using a parameter estimation method. According to pilot scale experimental results, the percentages of TSS (average TSS removal rate of 51 %) and biological oxygen demand (BOD5) (average BOD5 removal rate of 30 %), removed by the microsieve were notably higher compared to conventional primary treatment (sedimentation). The removal efficiency of the APF process during stable operation, varied from 69 to 86 % for TSS, as compared to 50–70 % typically achieved with primary sedimentation. The removal performance of BOD5 varied from 44 to 82 %, as compared to 25 to 40 % typically achieved with primary sedimentation. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rates for the APF process ranged between 62 and 90%, as compared to 25–40 % typically achieved with primary sedimentation. The early removal of TSS prior to aeration tank has the potential to significantly enhance the capacity of the WWTP and decrease the energy requirements of the aeration tank. A high degree of concordance between model predictions and experimental data was observed. This study demonstrated the potential of using the APF process for the early removal of TSS from raw municipal wastewater just upstream of the aeration tank.

PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES AND BIOFLOCCULATING EFFICIENCY OF POLAR RESIDUE OF PARTITIONED EXTRACT OF TELFAIRIA OCCIDENTALIS LEAF

Water contamination has become more pronounced as a result of human economic growth all over the world. This study investigated the physicochemical properties and bioflocculating activity of the polar residue of partitioned extract (PRPE) of Telfairia occidentalis leaf. The bioflocculating activity of the extract was evaluated for optimum dosage, pH, temperature, and metal ion using Kaolin clay suspension; the optimum activities obtained were used in wastewater treatment. The optimum flocculating activity of the PRPE was obtained at the dose of 1 mg/mL, pH of 4, the temperature of 50°C, and divalent cation (Ca2+). The physicochemical characteristics of removal of turbidity, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS) and heavy metals were determined before and after treatment. Upon treatment of two different domestic wastewaters (DW1 &amp; DW2), the physicochemical parameters were reduced except for nitrate and turbidity, which increased for DW2. The bioflocculant displayed the highest activity in DW1 with turbidity removal of 74%, TSS removal of 48%, nitrate removal of 24%, BOD and COD removal of 87.5% and 50% respectively. Heavy metals were also removed effectively in DW1 compared to DW2. The FTIR characterization revealed the presence of primary amine (N-H), cyclic alkene (C=C), phenol (O-H), sulfoxide (S=O) and, halo compound (C-Br) groups present in the bioflocculant which are essential as they promote the flocculation process. The findings from this study attest to the ability of PRPE of Telfairia occidentalis to act as a flocculant.

Application of a simplified model for assessing particle removal in dissolved air flotation (DAF) systems: Experimental verification at laboratory and full-scale level

Particle-bubble collisions in dissolved air flotation (DAF) systems play a crucial role in the removal of total suspended solids (TSS). DAF particle-bubble collision models incorporate factors such as particle diameters, charge and density, bubble diameters, and collision factors. The challenge lies in accounting for the wide range of particle and bubble sizes and obtaining complex model inputs. To address this, a simplified model for TSS removal in DAF units was established using low-cost laboratory measurements, including particle size distribution and density. Additionally, microbubble diameter profiles were derived from bubble velocities using particle image velocimetry software (PIV). Six independent variables, encompassing influent particle characteristics (such as particle size distribution and density) and DAF running characteristics (temperature, contact zone detention time, inflow and recycle flows), were employed in the simplified model. The model's accuracy was evaluated using a laboratory-scale DAF system with two different influents: Delft canal water and anaerobic sludge. The predicted TSS removal from the simplified model aligned well with the laboratory-scale DAF results, yielding removal efficiencies of 68 ± 1 % and 77 ± 3 % for Delft canal water and anaerobic sludge, respectively. Furthermore, when the simplified model was applied to two full-scale DAF systems, it successfully identified an underperforming system (DAF2) with a TSS removal efficiency of 91 %, contrasting with the theoretical removal model-predicted efficiency of 98 %. This study highlights the utility of combining bubble size distribution measured by PIVlab and particle size distribution obtained using FIJI-ImageJ as an economical and efficient approach to acquiring the necessary inputs for predicting TSS removal in DAF systems.

Chemical recovery of magnesium from the Dead Sea and its use in wastewater treatment

Abstract The objective of this study was to establish a suitable chemical process to recover magnesium compounds from Dead Sea water using a selective precipitation process. The recovered magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2) and magnesium chloride (MgCl2) are applicable for wastewater treatment processes since they can effectively remove total suspended solids (TSS) and chemical oxygen demand (COD). Magnesium salts recovered from Dead Sea water were compared with cationic polyacrylamide (PAM) and inorganic salts, including aluminum sulfate Al2(SO4)3, ferric chloride (FeCl3), and ferrous sulfate (Fe2SO4) to investigate the removal efficiency of TSS and COD from wastewater using a chemical precipitation method by using coagulation and flocculation process. Results show that Mg(OH)2 yielded the highest TSS and COD removal efficiencies of 59 and 57%, respectively, with a wastewater pH of 11.5. MgCl2 yielded lower removal efficiencies of 46 and 44%, respectively; at pH 10.5, lower magnesium concentration doses were needed. The most effective chemical precipitation method for removal involved cationic PAM coagulants, resulting in an 86% reduction in TSS and a 65% reduction in COD. Combining commercial Fe2SO4 and MgCL2 recovered from Dead Sea water reduced up to 90 and 73% of TSS and COD, respectively.

Potential of ash from agricultural waste as substitute of commercial FeCl3 in primary treatment of landfill leachate

Due to the ever increasing global population, higher volumes of industrial waste discharges to landfill have caused major problems for the environment. This study investigated the performance of rice straw ash (RSA) as a natural coagulant under different conditions for the treatment of landfill leachates by coagulation-flocculation and microfiltration, with and without addition of FeCl3. The highest performing treatment conditions (RSA = 2.48 g/L, FeCl3 = 4.98 g/L, settling time = 54.75min) were achieved with the combined use of RSA and FeCl3 as coagulant and led to a sludge volume index of 41.65 mL/g, 51.27% COD removal and 76.48% total suspended solid removal. In contrast, FeCl3 alone achieved slightly better COD and total suspended solid removal rates, however it resulted in higher sludge volume index and sludge production. The combined use of RSA and FeCl3 reduced the consumption of these two coagulants by 78.76% and 46.69% respectively. Functional groups and thermal stability of the flocs showed that RSA + FeCl3 synergistically enhance the mechanisms of the coagulation-flocculation process, including adsorption by particle's bridging, charge neutralization and size of flocs. Combining the coagulants resulted in increased van der Waals forces and lower attractive forces of the inter-colloidal energy barrier in the leachate. Additionally, the highest and lowest heavy metals removal rates for treatment by microfiltration were found for Fe (92.15%) and Mg (7.63%), with a total heavy metals removal efficiency in the range of 6.08–90.78%. The findings of this study show that RSA can serve as a natural eco-friendly coagulant both alone and in combination with FeCl3 in the leachate treatment.

Sustainable bamboo and coconut shell activated carbon for purifying river water on Borneo Island

This research aims to transform agricultural waste abundantly available in Sarawak into activated carbon as a sustainable water treatment source. Seven river water samples from Sarawak River were collected and treated with 2 g, 4 g, 6 g, 8 g, and 10 g of bamboo activated carbon (BAC) and coconut shell activated carbon (CSAC). Parameters investigated include Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N), pH, Temperature. The removal of TSS and NH3-N increases with the increment of the BAC and CSAC dosages from 2 g to 10 g. 10 g of BAC is able to remove 83.35 % of TSS and 82.61 % of NH3-N in 750 ml of river water, while 10 g of CSAC is only able to remove 79.18 % of TSS and 83.73 % of NH3-N for 750 ml of river water. Results revealed that BAC is marginally more effective than CSAC in treating river water. DO levels were lowered undesirably after the treatment process. The temperature slightly increases after treatment due to exothermic chemical reactions and adsorption processes. The treatment brings little impact on pH level. The developed BAC and CSAC have proven sustainable, simple, low cost, and environmentally friendly with their excellent porous structure and large specific surface area for river water treatment.

Performance Evaluation of Various Filter Media for Multi-Functional Purposes to Urban Constructed Wetlands

The escalating demand for innovative solutions is driven by the challenges posed by water quality degradation and the pervasive impacts of climate change. As such, this study evaluated the performance of filter media to mitigate these challenges through multi-functional applications in urban constructed wetlands (UCWs). Column testing of organic filter media, including biochar (BC), woodchip (WC), anthracite (AT), and activated carbon (AC), as well as inorganic filter media, such as ceramic balls (CB), basalt (BS), and porous sand (PS), with synthetic stormwater runoff influent was conducted to assess their performance through water quality parameters and Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) analysis for carbon storage potential. Among the media tested, AC exhibited high pollutant removal efficiencies amounting to 84%, 54%, 56%, and 44% for total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP), respectively. For inorganic media, PS had the highest TSS and TN removal, whereas BS exhibited the highest COD and TP removal. Overall performance rating revealed that AC and BS, despite their efficient pollutant removal, are associated with higher costs, resulting in a lower ranking compared to AT and PS. SEM-EDX analysis identified PS and AC as standout media for potential carbon storage, attributed to their extensive surface areas and pore structures providing abundant adsorption sites. The results from this study highlighted the potential applications of various filter media in UCW designs with the aim of achieving carbon neutrality and sustainable urban development.

Treatment of Municipal Wastewater Using Electrocoagulation Process

Treatment of Municipal wastewater by Electrocoagulation (EC) process using punched aluminium and zinc electrodes was studied in a batch EC cell reactor. Response surface methodology (RSM) based on Central Composite Design (CCD) was utilized to optimize the operating parameters for the removal of % Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and % Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) from Municipal Sewage. Effect of operating parameters such as Electrode Distance (x1), Electrolysis Time (x2) and Voltage (x3) has been optimized for the removal of TSS and COD. The prediction of removal percentage of TSS and COD in various Operational circumstances is done by using Quadratic model. The significance of each operating parameter was computed by Analysis of variance (ANOVA). To achieve the maximum removal of % TSS and % COD, the optimum conditions were Electrode distance(x1)—3 cm, Electrolysis Time (x2)—70.299 minute and Voltage (x3)—6.5V. It was observed that the performance of electrocoagulation process increased up to 61.45% for COD removal, and 73.73% for TSS removal using punched electrode compared to plane electrodes.

Assessment of Rice Husk-Based Activated Carbon as Adsorbent in Domestic Wastewater Treatment

Indiscriminate discharge of wastewater into the environment is of utmost concern, especially in developing countries. This study evaluated the efficiency of rice husk based activated carbon in wastewater samples harvested from a students’ hostel and a restaurant within the Federal University of Technology, Akure. The adsorbent used was produced from rice husk using hydrogen tetraoxosulphate (VI) acid (H2SO4) as the activating agent. The aim of this study was to assess rice husk-activated carbon for the reduction of physicochemical parameters such as hardness, pH, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), dissolved oxygen (DO), total dissolved solid (TDS), total suspended solid (TSS), and heavy metals which include chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), and iron (Fe). The wastewater samples were treated using activated rice hush ash of particle size (180 µm) at four different doses (30, 35, 40, 45 grams/400 ml). The results showed that the different doses of activated carbon had different removal efficiency. It was observed that the optimum dosage was 40g for DO, COD, BOD, and TDS while 30g was optimum for Hardness. It was also observed that an increase in the concentration of rice husk adsorbent led to an increase in the removal efficiency for the heavy metals (Cr, Mn, Pb, and Fe). The maximum percentage removal of DO, COD, BOD, TDS, and TSS, with rice husk was 21%, 58%, 72%, 21%, and 57% respectively. After the treatment of the domestic wastewater and comparing with the WHO standard, the treated wastewater quality was found to be safe for direct discharge into surface water bodies and irrigation purposes.

Sustainable power production from petrochemical industrial effluent using dual chambered microbial fuel cell

Dual chambered microbial fuel cell (DMFC) is an advanced and effective treatment technology in wastewater treatment. The current work has made an effort to treat petrochemical industrial wastewater (PWW) as a DMFC substrate for power generation and organic substance removal. Investigating the impact of organic load (OL) on organic reduction and electricity generation is the main objective of this study. At the OL of 1.5 g COD/L, the highest total chemical oxygen demand (TCOD) removal efficiency of 88%, soluble oxygen demand (SCOD) removal efficiency of 80% and total suspended solids (TSS) removal efficiency of 71% were seen, respectively. In the same optimum condition of 1.5 g COD/L, the highest current and power density of about 270 mW/m2 and 376 mA/m2 were also observed. According to the results of this study, using high-strength organic wastewater in DMFC can assist in addressing the issue of the petrochemical industries and minimize the energy demand.