Qualitative Characterization of Household Greywater in the Northern Great Plain Region of Hungary

Abstract

Greywater (GW) has attracted global attention as an alternative water source over the last few decades. GW treatment and reliable reuse require the overall qualitative characterization of samples from different sources. This paper represents an investigation of household-generated GW in the Northern Great Plain Region of Hungary. Modern and reliable analytical techniques and instruments (ion chromatography, microwave plasma atomic emission spectrometry, Zetasizer Nano Z analysis, etc.) were applied for the determination of the main pollutants and the preparation and specification of the potential treatment methods for indoor or outdoor GW reuse. It was shown that the shower/bathtub fraction must be collected separately from other sources based on its low organic matter (DOC<87. , Cu<0.15 mg L -1 , Ba<0.38 mg L -1 ) concentrations. In particular, laundry and kitchen sink or dishwasher GW were the most loaded streams. The current study demonstrated that there are no significant limitations for implementing GW reuse systems in Hungarian households but that treatment is necessary before reuse. Further research is needed to adapt treatment methods for the specifics of Hungary.

Quantitative microbial risk assessment of Greywater on-site reuse

“…Pathogens including Salmonella spp., Norovirus (genogroups GI and GII), Enterovirus, E. coli , Giardia , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Staphylococcus aureus , Clostridia and Rotavirus were detected in greywater from bathrooms, laundries and kitchens in the U. S., England, France, Australia, Hungary and Uganda ( Jefferson et al, 2004 ; Katukiza et al, 2015 ; Keely et al, 2015 ; O'Toole et al, 2012 ). Among all of them, E. coli was the most frequently detected and widely distributed potential hazard in most samples ( Birks and Hills, 2007 ; Bodnar et al, 2014 ; Chaillou et al, 2011 ; Hargelius et al, 1995 ; Jefferson et al, 2004 ; Katukiza et al, 2015 ; O'Toole et al, 2012 ; Winward et al, 2008 ). The existence of pathogenic E. coli in domestic greywater, which can cause serious human diseases, was also confirmed by O'Toole et al's (2012) study.…”

“… Source category Specific sources Reference No. of samples C EC ((CFU/100ml) log 10 C EC (log 10 CFU/100ml) Mean Standard deviation Mean Standard deviation Bath-room Shower/Bath a Bodnar et al (2014) 30 3.3 c 2.30 c Shower & Washing Birks and Hills (2007) 28 3.9E+05 c 2.4E+06 c 4.8 d 1.26 d Shower & Washing Winward et al (2008) 54 2.8 c 0.80 c Shower & Washing Chaillou et al (2011) 5 4.8E+05 c 9.0E+05 c 5.3 d 0.81 d Shower & Washing O'Toole et al (2012) 36 1.7E+03 c 4.5E+03 c 2.8 d 0.95 d Shower & Washing Katukiza et al (2015) 27 6.1E+06 c 7.6E+05 c …”

“…Generally, domestic greywater is generated from bathroom, laundry and kitchen; and their qualities can differ significantly ( Li et al, 2009 ; Oron et al, 2014 ). Previous studies of greywater quality showed that bathroom greywater contains a low concentration of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), nitrogen and phosphorous, and is regarded as the cleanest stream of greywater ( Bodnar et al, 2014 ; Li et al, 2009 ; Oron et al, 2014 ). Due to the addition of laundry detergents, laundry greywater has an elevated alkalinity, pH and high loads of sodium, nitrogen, phosphorous and surfactants, but its level of BOD is relatively low.…”

Analysis of Greywater Samples Treated by Filtration

“…Greywater from washing and dishwashing (dark greywater) contains high concentrations of chemical sub-stances from dish soaps and washing powders, bleaches, fats, oils, clothing dyes, and nondegradable fabrics from clothing and food residues [2]. In previous studies at the Department of Environmental Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Debrecen it was found that the quality parameters of greywater resulting from bathing are the closest to the quality of drinking water and account for almost 50% of all the domestic greywater produced [4,6], therefore the treatment and analysis of this fraction was targeted.…”

Determination of Anionic Detergent Content in Greywater

“…The composition of household generated greywater depends largely on the number of inhabitants, their age distribution, hygiene habits and geographical location. In the course of previous studies at the Department of Environmental Engineering at the University of Debrecen it was proved with adequate measurements, that the quality of greywater is very variable [2]. The aim of this research is to develop a suitable method for determination of these surfactants from the greywater samples, and to check later treatment solutions using an accurate knowledge of ANA content.…”