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Abstract
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Article Information:
Potential of Waste Water Sludge as Environmental-Friendly Manure after UV-Treatment
Laila Zafar, Asif Javed, Syed Shahid Ali, Zubair Anwar and Jabar Zaman Khan Khattak
Corresponding Author: Syed Shahid Ali
Submitted: September 17, 2012
Accepted: October 18, 2012
Published: October 20, 2012 |
Abstract:
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Due to exponential population increase in developing world, the wastewater and solid waste generation
has tremendously increased and their management has become a serious health and environmental issue. A large
amount of sewage sludge generated by sewage treatment plants however, can be re-used after proper segregation
and treatment as fertilizer and for energy production. Hence, this study was carried out to find out the potential use
of sludge produced at Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) as organic fertilizer. For this
purpose, chemical analysis of the waste water was carried out to determine the quality of raw waste water (influent)
and treated waste water (effluent) intermittently. Furthermore, post-wastewater treatment, sewage sludge was
analyzed for its chemical characteristics, i.e., for Total Nitrogen (TN), Total Phosphorous (TP) and Organic Matter
(OM) contents; and microbial analyses for the presence of Total Coliforms, Fecal Coliforms and E. Coli was also
carried out sewage sludge was exposed to sunlight for 0, 3 and 6 months. The results were with commercial compost
(control) similar characteristics. According to the results, pH, EC, TSS, COD and BOD5 were found very high in the
influent however, after the waste water treatment; the effluent quality was found within the limits of National
Environmental Quality standards (NEQs). On the other hand, TN, TP and OM content remained high in sewage
sludge as compared to the controls. In order to enumerate harmful microbes in sewage sludge, microbial analyses for
Total Coliforms, Fecal Coliforms and E. coli was carried out in pre-treated, UV-post-treated and control sludge
samples. According to the results, the Total and Fecal Coliforms were found very high (>16000 MPN/g) whereas,
E. Coli population remained between (7000-12000 MPN/g). The most important aspect noted in this study was: as
the sludge aged, this figure (7,000, 12,000, and 1,600 MPN/g after 0, 3 and 6 months of exposure to sunlight (UVlight).
However, the number of microbes was above NEQs Standard. From the results, it can be concluded that
sewage sludge has the potential to be used in greenbelts, forests and can also be applied for some restricted
agricultural purpose after ample sunlight exposure.
Key words: Natural manure, reuse potential, sludge, UV-light treatment, waste water, ,
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Cite this Reference:
Laila Zafar, Asif Javed, Syed Shahid Ali, Zubair Anwar and Jabar Zaman Khan Khattak, . Potential of Waste Water Sludge as Environmental-Friendly Manure after UV-Treatment. Research Journal of Environmental and Earth Sciences, (10): 917-922.
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ISSN (Online): 2041-0492
ISSN (Print): 2041-0484 |
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