Performance of an On-Site Wastewater Treatment System Using Reactive Filter Media and a Sequencing Batch Constructed Wetland

Rajabu Hamisi, Agnieszka Renman and Gunno Renman
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Rajabu Hamisi: Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science & Engineering, Division of Water and Environmental Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
Agnieszka Renman: Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science & Engineering, Division of Water and Environmental Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
Gunno Renman: Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science & Engineering, Division of Water and Environmental Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 11, 1-16

Abstract: Many on-site wastewater treatment systems, such as soil treatment systems, are not sustainable in terms of purification efficiency, nutrient recycling potential, and economics. In this case study, a sequencing batch constructed wetland (SBCW) was designed and added after a package treatment plant (PTP) using reactive filter media for phosphorus (P) removal and recycling. The treatment performance of the entire system in the start-up phase and its possible applicability in rural areas were investigated. Raw and treated effluents were sampled during a period of 25 weeks and analyzed for nitrogen, phosphorus, BOD 7 , and bacteria. Field measurements were made of wastewater flow, electrical conductivity, oxygen, and temperature. The entire system removed total-P and total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) by 83% and 22%, respectively. High salt concentration and very low wastewater temperature were possible reasons for these unexpectedly low P and TIN removal efficiencies. In contrast, removal rates of bacteria ( Escherichia coli , enterococci) and organic matter (as BOD) were high, due to filtration in the alkaline medium Polonite ® (Ecofiltration Nordic AB, Stockholm, Sweden) and the fine sand used as SBCW substrate. High pH in effluent from the PTP was efficiently reduced to below pH 9 in the SBCW, meeting recommendations by environmental authorities in Sweden. We concluded that treating cold on-site wastewater can impair treatment performance and that technical measures are needed to improve SBCW performance.

Keywords: add-on unit; biofiltration; nitrogen; package treatment plant; phosphorus; Polonite; sand (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:11:p:3172-:d:237546

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