Application of chemical precipitation for piggery wastewater treatment

Several series of experiments were conducted to investigate the treatment of piggery wastewater using chemical precipitation (CP) where various types of coagulants such as aluminium sulfate (Al-2(SO4)(3)), poly aluminium chloride (PAC), ferric chloride (FeCl3), ferric sulfate (Fe-2(SO4)(3)), ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) and ferrous chloride (FeCl2) were used. Throughout the experiments, CP was found to achieve high removal efficiencies for organic compounds and nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) from the piggery wastewater. Experimental results showed the optimal doses of FeCl3, Fe-2(SO4)(3), FeCl2 and FeSO4 was 2.0 g/L, while 0.31 g/L and 2.5 g/L were the optimum dose for PAC and Al-2(SO4)(3), respectively. The pH range 4-5 resulted in the best performance to all coagulants except FeCl2 and FeSO4, Whose optimum pH were more than 6. Percentage removal efficiencies for COD were in the ranges of 70-80%, 90-95% for SS, 80-90% for organic-N and TP. Those removal efficiencies were achieved within 5 min of operation. Three times of repetition in CP resulted in higher removal efficiencies for COD, SS and colour up to 74%, 99% and 94% respectively, in which Al-2(SO4)(3) was used as the coagulant. Removal efficiencies of various water quality parameters in a continuously operated reactor were similar to those of the batch experiments. Biodegradable ratios (BOD5/COD) increased up to 65% after the application of CP.