Track: Waste Management
Abstract
The driving force behind this research is the disposal of contaminated water in municipal drains by abattoirs in the meat production sector in South Africa, while the Country’s Water crisis remains unabated. The Government cannot allow contamination of the little available water. This paper is an attempt to determine an effective management of waste water generated by abattoirs, taking data from a typical abattoir located at Ekurhuleni, East of Johannesburg. The abattoir slaughters about a Hundred and twenty (120) cattle per day and produces about 60m3 of waste water to the effluent plant. Its treatment facilities uses mechanical processes for the treatment of the Beef waste water. This research adopts a method whereby the waste water sample is collected, and taken to a standard laboratory for analysis. Laboratory reagents are then introduced to the partially treated water. Flocculation tests were conducted to aid the sedimentation of the undesired substance. The waste water treatment plant at the current status has been found to reduce the Chemical Oxygen demand (COD) from 7000-6000ppm, Conductivity from 7.5 - 5.5 mS/cm, Total suspended solids (TSS) from 700-650ppm, Nitrates from 720-600 ppm, and Phosphates from 600-400ppm. Some of the reagents used include but not limited to aluminium chlorate, ferriflocc, ferric chloride and Polymers. The results show that quality of the mechanically treated water can be improved by reducing the COD by 39%, TSS by 58%, Phosphates and nitrates by an average of 40% apiece.