Combining hybrid constructed wetlands with an alum-based slow sand filter for swine wastewater treatment: effect of different hydraulic loading rates and alum dosages
摘要
Combination of a three-stage hybrid constructed wetland (HCW) covering 30 m2 and an alum-based slow sand filter (ASSF) with an area of 10 m2 was developed to treat swine wastewater that had undergone anaerobic digestion and natural sedimentation in ponds during a six-month on-site experimental study. Four identical HCW-ASSF systems were operated at hydraulic loading rates (HLRs) of 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, and 0.08 m3/m2 d for the HCWs, with alum dosages of 40, 60, and 90 mg/L for the ASSFs. For the HCWs, pollutant removal efficiencies, including biological oxygen demand (BOD₅), chemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, ammonia nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N), nitrate nitrogen (NO3⁻-N), total nitrogen , total phosphorus Escherichia coli (E. coli), and total coliforms (T. coli), depended largely on HLRs. The highest removal efficiencies were observed at the lowest HLR (0.02 m3/m2 d), reaching 91.2%, 88.4%, 93.0%, 90.8%, 82.0%, 87.6%, 48.7%, 99.6%, and 99.3%, respectively. For the ASSFs, TP removal efficiencies ranged from 50 to 55% at an Alum/TP ratio of approximately 1.0 and from 65 to 70% at a ratio of 1.5. Regarding the overall HCW-ASSF system, the best effluent quality was achieved at an HLR of 0.02 m3/m2 d with alum dosages of 40 and 60 mg/L, fully complying with Vietnamese regulatory limits for all parameters, including TP and T. coli. This HCW-ASSF system represents an effective and feasible solution for treating swine wastewater in rural, remote, and low-income areas.
Graphical abstract