Track: Environmental Engineering

Abstract

Due to waster scarcity, several cheap and user friendly technologies are being adopted to improve the efficiency in operation of wastewater treatment plants. In this study, Hycura, an engineered biocatalyst is proposed for use as a bio nutrient removal catalyst in municipal wastewater in a bid to enhance the treatment methods and improve the quality of effluent being disposed. The effectiveness of bio nutrient removal was measured through the biological oxygen demand (BOD), the chemical oxygen demand (COD), the total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) and the total phosphates (TP) ratios. The COD/BOD ratios were >1.25, whilst the BOD/TKN ratios were >4.2, the COD/TKN ratios were >8.0 and the COD/TP ratios were >15. The ratios indicated a high bio degradability of bio nutrients from the municipal wastewater enhancing bio contaminants removal upon addition of Hycura to the system.