Abstract
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The need for wastewater treatment does not only arise from an environmental conservation point of view. But also, from the fact that it can be reused for secondary proposes. The most of hospitals being present in urban space, still their wastewater treatment are not fully explored. The Fluidized Aerobic Bed Bioreactor (FABB) treats wastewater in a liquid-solid phase among various wastewater treatment processes. This study employed a fluidized aerobic bed reactor coupled with a tube settler for hospital wastewater treatment. The treatment efficiency was evaluated based on the removal of pollutants and nutrients with associated parameters pH, Alkalinity, total suspended solids (TSS), and mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS). The efficiency was determined by evaluating the influent and effluent quality of samples. The BOD5 was reduced at an average of 69% in FABB, and for tubesettler, it resulted in consumption of only 39%. Similar types of results were obtained when considering it for COD, i.e., 72% and 38%, respectively, for FABB and tube settler. The nitrification was observed in both nitrate accumulation by 103% and 3.65% in FABB and tube settler. In the absence of anaerobic conditions, the denitrification process could not be achieved. Hence the cycle was not completed. Lower phosphate reduction was achieved, 63% and 23%, however concentration in influent were below the permissible limit of 5 mgL−1. The study concludes that FABB can be successfully employed for hospital wastewater treatment. Additionally, tubesettler may be used in place of a secondary clarifier in the treatment of hospital wastewater.
•Treatment efficiency of FABB and Tubesettler was compared.•FABB, BOD5 removal efficiency was 69% and 39% for tubesettler.•COD removal was 72% and 38% for FABB and tube settler, respectively.•Nitrate accumulated by 103% and 3.65% in FABB and tubesettler.•Phosphate removal was low at 63% and 23% in FABB and tube settler.