Simulated Modelling, Design, and Performance Evaluation of a Pilot-Scale Trickling Filter System for Removal of Carbonaceous Pollutants from Domestic Wastewater

Abstract

The aim of the present study is to assess the wastewater treatment efficiency of a low-cost pilot-scale trickling filter (TF) system under a prevailing temperature range of 12 °C–38 °C. Operational data (both influent and effluent) for 330 days were collected from the pilot-scale TF for various physicochemical and biological parameters. Average percentage reductions were observed in the ranges of 52–72, 51–73, 61–81, and 74–89% for BOD5, COD, TDS, and TSS, respectively, for the whole year except the winter season, where a 74–88% reduction was observed only for TSS, whilst BOD5, COD, and TDS demonstrated reductions in the ranges of 13–50, 13–49, and 23–61%, respectively. Furthermore, reductions of about 43–55% and 57–86% in fecal coliform count were observed after the 1st and 6th day of treatment, respectively, throughout study period. Moreover, the pilot-scale TF model was based on zero-order kinetics calibrated at 20 °C using experimental BOD5 data obtained in the month of October to calculate the k20 value, which was further validated to determine the kt value for each BOD5 experimental setup. The model resulted in more accurate measurements of the pilot-scale TF and could help to improve its ability to handle different types of wastewater in the future.

Bio‐purification of domestic wastewater through constructed wetland planted with Paspalidium flavidum

“…However, majority of parts of the world are facing worst water shortage, and it has been reported that one in every five persons has no access to safe drinking water (WHO, 2015). According to previous reports, fresh water reservoirs will lose completely in near future due to rapid increase in population, urbanization and industrialization, climate change, water pollution, global warming, and loss of renewable water reservoirs (Choudri et al, 2020;Kumar & Chopra, 2018;Li et al, 2014;Naz et al, 2016;Rehman et al, 2021). Moreover, industrial consumption of fresh water for various processing steps releases huge amount of untreated wastewater into aquatic bodies affecting both flora and fauna as well as diminishing clean water reservoirs which is an alarming situation (Ali et al, 2021;Al-Najar et al, 2022;Cabral-Pinto et al, 2020;Kurwadkar et al, 2020;Rehman et al, 2012;Sehar et al, 2020Sehar et al, , 2021Zhu et al, 2017).…”