Anaerobic biochar filtration of municipal raw sewage for wastewater reuse

In dieser Arbeit wurde eine zweistufigen Laboranlage, bestehend aus einem anaeroben Vorfilter und einem nachgeschalteten anaeroben Biofilter, zur Behandlung von kommunalem Rohabwasser für die Wasserwiederverwendung in urbanen landwirtschaftlichen Agrarsystemen in West Afrika entwickelt und untersucht. Als Filtermaterialien wurden pyrolysierte und unpyrolysierte Reishülsen und Holzhackschnitzel, als lokal verfügbare Materialien, mit Kies und Sand als Referenzmaterialien verglichen. Die Filter wurden mit einer hydraulischen Belastung von 0,05 m∙h$^{-1}$ beschickt und die Reinigungsleistung hinsichtlich der fäkalen Indikatorbakterien $\textit {Escherichia coli}$ und Enterokokken, sowie Bakteriophagen, chemischen Sauerstoffbedarf (CSB) und Filterstandzeiten ermittelt. Das Aufbereitete Abwasser wurde in einem Gewächshausversuch mit Rohabwasser und Leitungswasser als Bewässerungswasser verglichen. Abschließend wurde eine CSB-Bilanz der gesamten Anlage erstellt

Sustainability assessment of activated carbon from residual biomass used for micropollutant removal at a full-scale wastewater treatment plant

Gefördert durch den Publikationsfonds der Universität Kasse

Critical evaluation of biochar effects on methane production and process stability in anaerobic digestion

Gefördert durch den Publikationsfonds der Universität Kasse

Efficient low-cost anaerobic treatment of wastewater using biochar and woodchip filters

Access to improved sanitation is often lacking in many low-income countries, and approximately 90% of the sewage is discharged without treatment into receiving water bodies. The aim of this study was the development and evaluation of an efficient low-cost wastewater treatment system for developing countries. Biochar and woodchips, potential locally available and inexpensive materials, were used for anaerobic wastewater filtration and their suitability evaluated in comparison to gravel as a common reference material. Filters were fed with raw sewage from a municipal full-scale wastewater treatment plant in Germany at 22 °C room temperature with a hydraulic loading rate (HLR) of 0.05 m∙h$^{−1}$. This resulted in a mean organic loading rate (OLR) of 252 gCOD∙m$^{−3}$∙d$^{−1}$ and a mean organic surface load of 456 gCOD∙m$^{−1}$∙d$^{−1}$. To determine the influence of different filter materials, the removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC), turbidity, and faecal indicator bacteria (FIB) $\textit {E. coli}$ and enterococci were tested. It was found that COD (up to 90%), TOC (up to 80%), FIB (up to 1.7 log$_{10}$-units), and turbidity (effluent turbidity below 35 NTU) could be significantly reduced. The findings of this study demonstrate the potential of anaerobic filters (AFs) for wastewater treatment in low-income countries to reduce water pollution and comprehensively improve water quality. The performance of biochar filters was significantly better over the entire experiment compared to woodchip and gravel filters with respect to COD, TOC, turbidity, and FIB removal, indicating the superior properties of biochar for wastewater treatment

Pathogen and heavy metal contamination in urban agroecosystems of northern Ghana: Influence of biochar application and wastewater irrigation

Gefördert im Rahmen des Projekts DEALBundesministerium für Wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung. Grant Number: 031A242-A,B; Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung. Grant Number: 031A242-A,

Slow sand filtration of raw wastewater using biochar as an alternative filtration media

The efficiency of anaerobic biofilters (AnBF) as low-cost wastewater treatment systems was investigated. $\it Miscanthus$-biochar was used as filtration media and compared with sand as a common reference material. Raw sewage from a municipal wastewater treatment plant was stored in a sedimentation tank for two days to allow pre-settlement of wastewater particles. Subsequently, wastewater was treated by AnBFs at 22 °C room temperature at a hydraulic loading rate of 0.05 m∙h$^{−1}$ with an empty bed contact time of 14.4 h and a mean organic loading rate of 509 $\pm$ 173 gCOD∙m$^{−3}$∙d$^{−1}$. Mean removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) of biochar filters was with 74 $\pm$ 18% significantly higher than of sand filters (61 $\pm$ 12%). In contrast to sand filters with a mean reduction of 1.18 $\pm$ 0.31 log-units, $\textit {E. coli}$ removal through biochar was with 1.35 $\pm$ 0.27 log-units significantly higher and increased with experimental time. Main removal took place within the $\it schmutzdecke$, a biologically active dirt layer that develops simultaneously on the surface of filter beds. Since the $\textit {E. coli}$ contamination of both filter materials was equal, the higher removal efficiency of biochar filters is probably a result of an improved biodegradation within deeper zones of the filter bed. Overall, performance of biochar filters was better or equal compared to sand and have thus demonstrated the suitability of $\it Miscanthus$-biochar as filter media for wastewater treatment