A pilot model for slaughterhouse wastewater treatment using Moringa oleifera seed husks, pods and extract followed by aeration

Abstract

Untreated slaughterhouse wastewater contains high concentrations of organic matters, suspended solids, and pathogenic microorganisms which have destroying effects on the environment. Thus, slaughterhouse wastewater should be treated properly before discharging into the environment. A pilot model was installed that consisted of three treatment stages; bioadsorption, coagulation and aeration. The first stage used Moringa oleifera seed husks and pods as a bioadsorbent. The second stage used M. oleifera seeds extract as natural coagulant and followed by the third stage (aeration stage). M. oleifera seed husks and pods proved a good ability to remove total suspended solids (TSS), total bacterial count (TBC), total coliforms (TC) and Escherichia coli, without significant removal of organic matters. A significant increase in organic matters represented in chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations after the coagulation stage. The aeration stage succeeded to remove this occurred increase in the coagulation stage. The overall average removal percent after aeration stage were 95.68%, 95.89%, 70.15%, 82.98%m 83.91%, 90.49%, 90.58% and 88.66% for COD, BOD, TSS, TKN, TP, TBC, TC and E. coli, respectively. The obtained results indicated the suitability of using M. oleifera seed husks, pods, and extracts for slaughterhouse wastewater treatment.