A survey on the performance of moving bed biofilm reactor and rapid sand filter in wastewater treatment

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

2 Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Student Research Committee, School of Public Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

3 Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering and Technology, Islamic Azad University, Parand Branch, Tehran, Iran

4 Department of Water Resources, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) is a process in which attached growth is utilized for wastewater treatment. This process does not require sludge recycling or backwash. Activated sludge processes can be promoted to an MBBR by adding media to an aeration tank. Rapid sand filter is a physical method for the removal of total suspended solids (TSS) in advanced wastewater treatment. The purpose of this study was the evaluation of effluent reuse feasibility of MBBR and rapid sand filter in agricultural irrigation. Results showed TSS, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentrations in effluent were 10, 7.7, and 85.75 mg/l, respectively. Removal efficiency of TSS, BOD5, and COD was 98%, 98.8%, and 94.6%, respectively. Furthermore, the value of chemical parameters was less than the standard limitations. Average removal efficiency of total coliform, fecal coliform, and nematode was 100%. Total dissolved solids (TDS) and electrical conductivity (EC) in effluent were 960.5 mg/l and 1200.63 μs/cm, respectively. The Wilcox diagram showed that effluent was in the C3-S1 class, which means effluent quality was appropriate for irrigation. The results showed that effluent quality was completely compatible with the national standards in agricultural irrigation. 

Keywords


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