Title: Small domestic wastewater treatment using waste materials

Authors: Md. Maruf Mortula; Graham A. Gagnon

Addresses: Department of Civil Engineering, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah, PO Box 26666, United Arab Emirates ' Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University, 1260 Barrington St., Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada

Abstract: Phosphorus pollution of groundwater from small wastewater system is often considered as a major threat for aquatic habitats. Recirculating biofilters are often used to treat small wastewater systems without significant removal of phosphorus. In this paper, a low-cost waste material (dried alum residual) in pre-treated effluents from recirculating biofilters was examined. Two different types of wastewater were used; one collected from a pilot scale biofilter from a municipality and the other generated in the laboratory using bench scale biofilter. Sorption-based treatment system was used to remove phosphorus using alum residual. Batch and fixed bed column tests were conducted. Results indicated that alum residual was effective in removing phosphorus. The presence of organic matter (BOD₅) showed to have decreased the phosphorus sorption behaviour. The leaching of aluminium was reasonable and in many cases aluminium was adsorbed onto the alum residual.

Keywords: domestic wastewater treatment; waste materials; phosphorus removal; phosphorus sorption; biofiltration; dried alum residual; water pollution; pre-treated effluent; recirculating biofilters; aluminium leaching.

DOI: 10.1504/IJETM.2014.059467

International Journal of Environmental Technology and Management, 2014 Vol.17 No.1, pp.30 - 43

Received: 01 Feb 2013
Accepted: 21 Aug 2013
Published online: 11 Oct 2014 *

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