Environmental conditions and pathogen removal in macrophyte- and algal-based domestic wastewater treatment systems

The environmental conditions and pathogen removal in macrophyte (Pistia stratiotes and Lemna paucicostata) and algal-based wastewater treatment systems were determined over a period of 29 days under tropical conditions. The experiment was conducted on a batch scale in 4.5 plastic containers immersed in moist sand beds. A control of raw sewage stored under dark conditions was included. Environmental conditions such as pH, temperature DO and conductivity and heterotrophic and faecal enterococci populations were monitored five times a week at 8, 12 and 20 GMT. BOD was monitored once a week for five weeks. Average temperatures within the systems ranged between 28.3°C in the control to 30.6°C in the algal-based system. Low pH levels of pH of 4.5 and DO levels of 3 mg/L were recorded in the water lettuce treatment systems. High pH levels around 10.5 and DO levels of about 20 mg/L were observed in the algal-based system. The control and duckweed system remained neutral. All treatment systems performed equally well in pathogen removal and BOD reduction. The BOD decreased from 130mg/L to 5.0, 7.5, 10 and 15 mg/L in the duckweed, water lettuce, control and algal based treatment systems respectively. The faecal enterococci population decreased from 1.18×105 /ml to values below 100/ml in all treatment systems.