Aerated blast furnace slag filters for enhanced nitrogen and phosphorus removal from small wastewater treatment plants

Rock filters (RF) are a promising alternative technology for natural wastewater treatment for upgrading WSP effluent. However, the application of RF in the removal of eutrophic nutrients, nitrogen and phosphorus, is very limited. Accordingly, the overall objective of this study was to develop a lowcost RF system for the purpose of enhanced nutrient removal from WSP effluents, which would be able to produce effluents which comply with the requirements of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD) (911271lEEC) and suitable for small communities. Therefore, a combination system comprising a primary facultative pond and an aerated rock filter (ARF) system-either vertically or horizontally loaded-was investigated at the University of Leeds' experimental station at Esholt Wastewater Treatment Works, Bradford, UK. Blast furnace slag (BFS) and limestone were selected for use in the ARF system owing to their high potential for P removal and their low cost. This study involved three major qperiments: (1) a comparison of aerated vertical-flow and horizontal-flow limestone filters for nitrogen removal; (2) a comparison of aerated limestone + blast furnace slag (BFS) filter and aerated BFS filters for nitrogen and phosphorus removal; and (3) a comparison of vertical-flow and horizontal-flow BFS filters for nitrogen and phosphorus removal. The vertical upward-flow ARF system was found to be superior to the horizontal-flow ARF system in terms of nitrogen removal, mostly thiough bacterial nitrification processes in both the aerated limestone and BFS filter studies. The BFS filter medium (whieh is low-cost) showed a much higher potential in removing phosphortls from pond effluent than the limestone medium. As a result, the combination of a vertical upward-flow ARF system and an economical and effective P-removal filter medium, such as BFS, was found to be an ideal optionfor the total nutrient removal of both nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater. In parallel with these experiments, studies on the aerated BFS filter effective life and major in-filter phosphorus removal pathways were carried out. From the standard batch experiments of Pmax adsorption capacity of BFS, as well as six-month data collection of daily average P-removal, it was found that the effective life of the aerated BFS filter was 6.5 years. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction spectrometric analyses on the surface of BFS, particulates and sediment samples revealed that the apparent mechanisms of P-removal in the filter are adsorption on the amorphous oxide phase of the BFS surface and precipitation within the filter

Aerated Blast-Furnace-Slag Filters for the Simultaneous Removal of Nitrogen and Phosphorus from Primary Facultative Pond Effluents

Abstract: Rock filters (RF) are a promising alternative natural wastewater treatment technology for upgrading waste stabilization pond (WSP) effluents.  However, the use of RF to remove nutrients, such as nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), is very limited. Therefore, the present study was carried out to investigate the performance of aerated RF (ARF) systems for removing both nitrogen and phosphorus from domestic wastewater using blast furnace slag (BFS) as the filter medium. The performance of two aerated BFS filter systems, a horizontal-flow ARF and a vertical upflow ARF, was compared: for N and P removals. A further aim of the study was to determine if either or both of these BFS-ARF systems could produce effluents which complied with the nutrient removal requirements of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD) (91/271/EEC) for small communities. From the results of the present study it can be concluded that the both BFS-ARF are suitable unit processes for removing N and P from primary facultative pond effluents. The vertical-upflow BFS-ARF has the advantage of removing more ammonium-N (to below 1 mg N/L), but the disadvantage of removing less total-N. Further research on optimizing the design and performance of both BFS-ARF is warranted, and their performance in warm-climate countries requires to be investigated

Evaluation of the Correlation between Particulate Matter (PM2.5) and Meteorological Parameters

Particulate matters are emitted from a wide range of man-made and natural sources. Particulate matters (ð‘ƒð‘€2.5) pose the greatest problems and consequences to human health. Batu Pahat is considered as main urban area with high industrial activity and other anthropogenic activities. Due to awareness of the people health in Batu Pahat this study was performed. The focus of this research is to examine the levels of ð‘ƒð‘€2.5 in several areas in Batu Pahat and to examine the correlations of ð‘ƒð‘€2.5 with the weather parameters using the Pearson correlation coefficient. Two stations of selected areas were chosen, namely Batu Pahat, and Parit Sulong represented as an urban area, and residential area. Three parameters observed for 3 consecutive months starting from December 2020 to February 2021 in two phases which were phase 1 (7a.m.) and phase 2 (7p.m.). The data was obtained from the website of Department of Environment (DOE). The statistical analysis of the results obtained for the air particulate matters ð‘ƒð‘€2.5 at the study areas will be compared with the Malaysian Ambient Air Quality Guidelines (MAAQG). It was found out that the concentration of ð‘ƒð‘€2.5 at station B (Parit Sulong) the residential area, was higher in phase 1 and phase 2 with value of 15.04 μg/ð‘š3 and 14.12 μg/ð‘š3 respectively. It can be seen that station B have higher value of ð‘ƒð‘€2.5 than station A (Batu Pahat). Air quality index (AQI) values for both stations was less than the permitted value by Malaysian Ambient Air Quality Guidelines

Phosphorus removal from aqueos solutin using aerated high calcium low ferum steel slag filter

Phosphorus is a culprit nutrient in accelerating of eutrophication in natural surface waters. Eutrophication is a pollution that cause from an overabundance of nutrient occurs in the lake or river which is the water resource for the human. It is vary alarming as it will increased purification cost and also pose lethal effect of algal toxins in drinking water. The effect from that it reduces the amount of oxygen because the organism also needs oxygen for their life. The bloom of organism will cover the surfaces of water and it will prevent sunlight from entering the water [1]

The effects of PO43- removal from aqueous solution with varied concentrations of metal oxides in steel slag filter system

High amount of orthophosphate will accelerate the growth of autotrophs and eutrophication will occur. This phenomenon decreases the water quality and as a result may increase the cost of water treatment for drinking water. The overabundance of orthophosphate occurs when untreated or inadequately-treated wastewater from domestic and industrial activities is released into water bodies. Conventional treatment has been developed to treat wastewater. However, it is not effective for phosphorus removal, hence, high-cost advanced treatment is needed to remove phosphorus. Thus, alternative low-cost treatments for phosphorus removal are needed. Therefore, this study was conducted to understand and investigate the mechanisms of phosphorus removal using two different setups of steel slag filter, Set 1 for high Fe and Set 2 for high Ca. The study was operated at different pH values of 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11 under aerated and unaerated conditions. The samples of steel slag from 12 filters that has been run for three months for each set were semi-quantitatively analysed using scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) to identify the adsorption of phosphate ion on the surface of the steel slag. The results of SEM-EDX studies showed that adsorption mechanism of phosphate removal takes place on the surface of the steel slag. The precipitates in the steel slag filters were collected and analysed for X-ray diffraction (XRD) for chemical compound identification and the precipitates were confirmed to be Fe3O4, a precursor of iron phosphate related compound

Adsorbent Efficiency in Treating Phosphorus using Natural Treatment from Industrial Wastewater - A Review

Natural treatment are currently getting recognise as remedies in wastewater treatment for small industries. Natural treatment equipped with natural, man-made and by-products materials coming from various sources such as agricultural wastes, household and industrial sectors are commonly being used. Its availability is abundant and simultaneously contributing to waste recovery, reuse and minimization. Its abilities to remove pollutants such as phosphorus are promising since multiple researches have been done to provide a new insight in treating pollutant with natural, man-made and by-products adsorbent. Examples of the three types of adsorbent that have been studied are red mud, soy bean, eggshells, dates, steel slag and many more. Despite countless reviews have been made in the last few years, a direct comparison on different adsorbent along with its efficiency in treating industrial wastewater is unsatisfactory and lacking since most of the studies are using synthetic solution which under controlled condition. The application of the treatment is unfavourable due to limited understanding of phosphorus removal. Thus, the aim of the study was to revise the current literature regarding natural adsorbent efficiencies and its application towards industrial wastewater including the adsorbent characteristics and methods of phosphate removal involves

The efficiency removal of phosphorus by using recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) as filter

Phosphorus (P) is a main nutrient element plants growth in natural water system. However, excessive P loads to water bodies from industrial, agricultural, household wastes may cause the overgrowth of aquatic plants or algae which accelerate the depletion of dissolved oxygen (DO) in waters, and leading to serious eutrophication problems. In developing countries, approximately 75% of domestic wastewater is released to the environment without treatment (Rozari et al. 2016). Ayaz et al. (2012) reported that eutrophication in receiving water bodies may occur when concentration of phosphorus was 6 mg/L. Therefore, proper treatment to remove phosphorus from domestic wastewater to achieve the admissible level for natural systems is needed. Besides, construction and demolition (C&D) activities shows a growing trend for several years

Perspective of Abdullah Munshi as the father of modern Malay literature

The Western colonization of the Malay world, especially by the British, had a powerful impact on Malay literature. This was consistent with the mission of the colonialists, whereby their presence in the colony would never be forgotten. One effort by the British that will always be remembered to this day is the division of Malay literature into two periods, the traditional and the modern, with the recognition given to Abdullah Munshi as ‘The Father of Modern Malay Literature’. Through two works by Abdullah Munshi, namely Kisah Pelayaran Abdullah and Hikayat Abdullah, Malay literature was introduced to a new literary convention that was ego‐oriented, critical and with themes other than fantasies or fables. Because of this ‘modernity’, Abdullah Munshi was ‘excluded’ by his own audience for challenging the old conventions that had been passed down. It was only almost half a century after his death that budding writers started to copy his writing model. Accordingly, several local and Western scholars emerged to express their views with regard to the recognition given to Abdullah Munshi as the ‘The Father of Modern Malay Literature’. Therefore, the objective of this study was to explain the views of those scholars and to analyse the factors that caused this difference in opinion. This study employed a descriptive method to explain how Abdullah Munshi’s image was created by the West and how the renewal of this lie disturbed the Malay rulers and the community. As a result, ‘The Father of Modern Malay Literature’ successfully fulfilled the goal of the West in Malaya despite the fact that it was offensive to Malay literature itself

Survival and disinfection of SARS-Cov-2 in environment and contaminated surface

The detection of SARS-Cov-2 in the sewage and water resources has increased the awareness among the people about the possibility survival of SARS-Cov-2 in the environment and the potential to transmit into the human through food chain or water resources. Moreover, the surface contaminated by the virus need to be disinfected frequently by using an effective disinfectant, the current chapter discussed the efficiency of the most traditional treatment process of the sewage and wastewater, and their role in the elimination of the virus as well as the sterility assurance level concept. Moreover, the chemical disinfectant used currently and their temporary efficiency has been reviewed

Efficiencies and mechanisms of steel slag with ferric oxides for removing phosphate from wastewater using a column filter system

The current study aimed to investigate the efficiencies and mechanisms of slag filter media for removing phosphorus from synthetic wastewater. The steel slag with high ferric oxides (Fe2O3) was subjected for the electric arc furnace (EAF) and selected as the filter media (HFe). The chemical characteristics of HFe were determined using pH, point of zero charge (PZC) and XRF. The phosphorus removal efficiency was studied in a designed vertical steel slag column rock filters in unaerated HFe (UEF) and aerated HFe (AEF) system. The microstructure of HFe was analyzed by FTIR, XRD and SEM-EDX analysis. The results of XRF revealed that ferric oxide (Fe2O3) ranged from26.1 to 38.2%. PZC for Filter HFe was recorded at pH 10.55 ± 0.27. The highest efficiencies were recorded by UEF and AEF systems at pH 3 and pH 5 (89.97 ± 4.02% and 79.95 ± 6.25% at pH 3 and 72.97 ± 8.38% and 66.00 ± 12.85% at pH 5 for UEF and AEF, respectively). These findings indicated that AEF exhibiting higher removal than UEF systems might be due to presence high Fe concentration in AEF which play important role in the phosphorus removal. The main elements available on the surface of HFe included carbon, oxygen, iron, calcium, magnesium, silicon, platinum, sulphur, manganese, titanium and aluminium. The XRD analysis indicated that the precipitation of orthophosphate as calcium and iron-phosphates was the removal mechanism as confirmed using FT-IR analysis. These findings demonstrated the efficiency of HFe in removing of phosphorus from wastewater