Bruno Coraucci Filho

Evaluation of a simple system of wastewater treatment aiming at use in rural areas

Brazil faces problems related to the large population which lives in the rural areas and discharges the wastewater directly into water bodies. This occurrence contributes not only to environmental damage but also to public health problems. In this case, the use of simple treatments would be beneficial, since the local wastewater could be treated with low cost and be built and operated by local labor even though it is not specialized. A system investigated in UNICAMP and which has these characteristics is, undoubtedly, the association of anaerobic filters with sand filters. The results from the research showed that the effluent had an organic matter concentration lower than the maximum permitted by Brazilian law (Brasil, 2005). Regarding the nitrogen compounds, the sand filters showed a great capacity of nitrification and, in reference to phosphorus, in the deepest depths (0.75 and 1.00 m), the removal was more than 98%Brazil faces problems related to the large population which lives in the rural areas and discharges the wastewater directly into water bodies. This occurrence contributes not only to environmental damage but also to public health problems. In this case, the use of simple treatments would be beneficial, since the local wastewater could be treated with low cost and be built and operated by local labor even though it is not specialized. A system investigated in UNICAMP and which has these characteristics is, undoubtedly, the association of anaerobic filters with sand filters. The results from the research showed that the effluent had an organic matter concentration lower than the maximum permitted by Brazilian law (Brasil, 2005). Regarding the nitrogen compounds, the sand filters showed a great capacity of nitrification and, in reference to phosphorus, in the deepest depths (0.75 and 1.00 m), the removal was more than 98%.

Coconut shells as filling material for anaerobic filters

In rural areas of developing countries, there is a lack of sanitation services and the installation of such infrastructure is hampered by the high investment costs for initial implementation and by the limited availability of qualified personnel. An alternative to traditional sanitation services include an anaerobic filter, but the high cost of appropriate filling material can be an obstacle to its wide-spread implementation. To decrease this construction cost, the objective of this work was to study the use of coconut shells as filling material for anaerobic filters. Anaerobic filters were built and filled with the studied material and operated with up flow and hydraulic retention time of 9 hours. The reactors provided a removal of 79 ± 16% in BOD terms, indicating that the coconut shell filling had efficiency consistent with the literature data. In addition, the husks were found to retain their tensile strength following use in the reactors. Coconut husks have more empty bed volume than other low cost materials, such as crushed stone, nearing properties of traditional materials. The results of this study indicate that coconut husks may prove to be a low cost alternative to traditional fillers for anaerobic treatment in rural communities.

Tratamento de esgoto e produção de água de reúso com o emprego de filtros de areia

Nesta pesquisa estudou-se um sistema composto pela combinacao de filtro anaerobio com filtro de areia para o tratamento de esgoto. Para isso, foram avaliados tres filtros anaerobios operados com tempo de detencao hidraulica de nove horas, que tinham o efluente disposto sobre quatro filtros de areia em distintas taxas de aplicacoes. No primeiro filtro de areia aplicaram-se 50 L.m-2 uma vez por dia. No segundo, terceiro e quarto filtros, essa mesma carga foi disposta em dois, tres e quatro horarios, espacadas entre as 9:00 e as 16:00 horas. O sistema apresentou um efluente final com qualidade que atendia os padroes para reuso e demanda bioquimica de oxigenio abaixo do limite para o lancamento em corpos hidricos (Decreto de Paulista no 8.468/1976), indicando a viabilidade de disposicao de taxas superiores as sugeridas pela NBR 13969/1997, a qual orienta os aspectos construtivos para esta forma de tratamento.In this research it was studied a system composed by the anaerobic filter combined with a sand filter for the wastewater treatment. For this, three anaerobic filters were operated with hydraulic detention time of nine hours which had the effluent disposed over four sand filters in different frequencies of application. On the first sand filter, 50 L.m-2 were applied once a day. On the second, the third and the fourth filters, the same load was disposed in twice, three and four times a day, distributed between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. The system presented a final effluent suitable for the COD and BOD legislation maximum limit to be discharged into water body (Decreto Paulista no 8,468/1976), showing the viability of dispose a higher quantity of effluent then the one suggested by NBR 13969/1997, which guides the constructive aspects for this kind of treatment.

Avaliação de um sistema simplificado de tratamento de esgotos visando a utilização em áreas rurais

Brazil faces problems related to the large population which lives in the rural areas and discharges the wastewater directly into water bodies. This occurrence contributes not only to environmental damage but also to public health problems. In this case, the use of simple treatments would be beneficial, since the local wastewater could be treated with low cost and be built and operated by local labor even though it is not specialized. A system investigated in UNICAMP and which has these characteristics is, undoubtedly, the association of anaerobic filters with sand filters. The results from the research showed that the effluent had an organic matter concentration lower than the maximum permitted by Brazilian law (Brasil, 2005). Regarding the nitrogen compounds, the sand filters showed a great capacity of nitrification and, in reference to phosphorus, in the deepest depths (0.75 and 1.00 m), the removal was more than 98%Brazil faces problems related to the large population which lives in the rural areas and discharges the wastewater directly into water bodies. This occurrence contributes not only to environmental damage but also to public health problems. In this case, the use of simple treatments would be beneficial, since the local wastewater could be treated with low cost and be built and operated by local labor even though it is not specialized. A system investigated in UNICAMP and which has these characteristics is, undoubtedly, the association of anaerobic filters with sand filters. The results from the research showed that the effluent had an organic matter concentration lower than the maximum permitted by Brazilian law (Brasil, 2005). Regarding the nitrogen compounds, the sand filters showed a great capacity of nitrification and, in reference to phosphorus, in the deepest depths (0.75 and 1.00 m), the removal was more than 98%.

Study of the Metals Absorption in Culture Corn Irrigated with Domestic Sewage by SR‐TXRF

Abstract The main objective of this work was to evaluate the absorption of metals coming from the domestic sewage supplied through an irrigation system by furrows. For this, the culture corn (Zea mays L.) (AG 405‐AGROCERES) was irrigated by two different treatments: irrigation with domestic sewage and water. After the vegetative growth, the collected plants were divided into two parts: grains and leaves. These different parts were subjected to the digestion procedure in an open system and then analyzed by total reflection X‐ray fluorescence analysis with synchrotron radiation (SR‐TXRF). It was observed that the concentration of metals in the plants irrigated with sewage was higher than in the plants irrigated with water. The results indicate that the absorption of metals, in the leaves and spikes, is directly related to the application rate of water irrigation. But, in the case of the irrigation with domestic sewage, a larger absorption of metals was observed when the plant was irrigated with 180L application rate, so much for the leaves as for the spike.

Avaliação da partida e operação de filtros anaeróbios tendo bambu como material de recheio

In this paper, three anaerobic filters with 500 L volume were constructed and filled up with bamboo rings, operating with a nine hour hydraulic retention time. The aim was to determinate the start up period without using adapted sludge and reaching efficiency in a wastewater treatment, by deploying hydraulic detention time lower than the 12 hours suggested by the NBR 7229. In the system evaluation, it was used the dissolved organic carbon, chemical oxygen demand, biochemical oxygen demand, pH, and alkalinity, showing in terms of dissolved organic carbon, the need of 19 weeks to reach dynamic equilibrium in the reactors. After this period, the removal achieved 81.4 ± 6.4%. Results showed that using an alternative package in anaerobic filters made possible to have an efficacy similar to the one reached with traditional materials, even with the hydraulic detention time lower than the one suggested by the Brazilian law.

Remoção de matéria orgânica, coliformes totais e nitrificação no tratamento de esgotos domésticos por filtros de areia

According to IBGE (2000) 73% of the Brazilian cities are considered small communities with population smaller than 20,000 inhabitants. The majority of domestic wastewater of these places is normally disposed in rivers with no treatment. As a consequence, the irregular disposal may cause health and environmental problems. To reduce this risk it is necessary to develop treatment systems that are simple, efficient, sustainable and of low cost. The treatment of wastewater using up flow anaerobic filter combined with sand filters would be able to satisfy these exigencies, producing an effluent that could be disposed in rivers or even be reused, safeguarding the sources of potable water. The system achieved BOD removal of 96% and complete nitrification for the application of low loads. The increase of the applied loads caused a reduction in the efficiency; however the final values were still satisfactory.

Accumulation of metals in the soil of an overland flow wastewater treatment system

Accumulation of Co, Cu, Cr, Mo, Ni, Pb and Zn was evaluated in a soil profile of an overland flow system used for the post-treatment of urban wastewater. A pilot version of the overland flow system received urban wastewater from five up-flow anaerobic filters filled with bamboo (Bambusa tuldoides) rings. The anaerobic effluent was applied as feed over 18 months at rates varying from 7 to 28 L min(-1), to a vegetated slope length covered with Tifton 85 (Cynodon) sp. grass. Soil and plant samples were collected in triplicate from the top to the bottom of the slope. In addition, the soils were sampled at the depths 0-20 and 20-40 cm. The metal concentrations found in the overall system were compared to those obtained in a control area located at the beginning of the slope onto which nothing was applied. A month of monitoring the urban wastewater of Limeira City (São Paulo State, Brazil) showed a drastic change in metals concentration due to the irregular discharge of industrial waste. This irregular discharge introduces Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn into the system used to treat domestic wastewater. The mass balance indicates the accumulation of metals in the soil and the translocation to the plants; also that they could be evapotranspirated, percolated and discharged.

Análise da biodegradação dos componentes do óleo cítrico por CG/EM e análise da população microbiana de um reator de lodo ativado no tratamento de água residuária de uma indústria cítrica

Wastewater from citric industry was used to biodegradation study through an activated sludge system. The analyses accomplished by CG/MSD showed that compounds of the orange oil as the limoneno, was resistant to biodegradation. The microbiological evaluation developed during the biodegradation period showed that the number and type of bacteria present in the system varied according to the time, and a succession of microorganisms can be observed. The microrganism identified as LAB-9 (Pseudomonas struzieri) and LAB-7 (not identified) prevailed during whole the process, suggesting that they were the main responsible for the removal of the organic matter or the better adapted to the type of wastewater. The system of activated sludge was efficient in the reduction of DBO and DQO, reaching values of 79 and 78%, respectively, in a period of 15 h, with a relationship F/M 4:2.

Pós-tratamento de efluente de filtros anaeróbios operados com baixo tempo de detenção hidráulica por escoamento superficial no solo

In this investigation the post-treatment of anaerobic filters operated with low hydraulic retention time (HRT) through overland flow system was studied. For that, it was built four reactors whose volume was 500 L, filled up with bamboos rings and a ramp with 40.0 m of length and inclination of 3.5%, covering with Tifton 85 (Cynodon sp) grass. It was evaluated the wastewater treatment from Limeira city (SP), operating anaerobic filters with 3 hour HRT and the effluent application in superficial drain of 0.10; 0.20; 0.30 e 0.40 m3.h-1.m-1 rates. In these operational conditions, the effluent was suitable to be discharged into receiving waters until the rate application of 0.20 m3.h-1.m-1. Over this value, there was a worse final quality in DBO and phosphorus concentration.