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Treatment of Dilute Piggery Effluent with Vertical Flow Reed Beds
Author(s) -
Parkes M. E.,
McBride A. D.,
Waalkens A.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1998.00472425002700040009x
Subject(s) - ponding , effluent , biochemical oxygen demand , chemical oxygen demand , nitrification , environmental science , nitrate , environmental engineering , flow (mathematics) , hydrology (agriculture) , nitrogen , wastewater , chemistry , ecology , drainage , mathematics , geology , geotechnical engineering , biology , organic chemistry , geometry
Washwater from pig pens was led from a lagoon and treated in a series of vertical flow reed beds over 2 yr. A recirculation component was added in the second yr. Five‐day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD 5 ), chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonium‐N (NH 4 ‐N), and nitrate‐N (NO 3 ‐N) were measured during the late winter/early spring periods for the 2 yr. Values of K BoD , to describe performance of horizontal flow reed beds, were determined for the vertical flow beds and compared with values derived from the literature. Maximum BOD 5 removal was 96%, but averaged 65 and 61% over the first and second year periods, respectively. Performance of each stage, as indicated by percent removal of BOD 5 , was best described by an inverse logarithmic function of hydraulic load. Ponding was a problem, indicating a need for control of organic loading. Efficient nitrification was not achieved so that the treatment did not result in waste suitable for direct discharge to surface water.