ANÁLISE DA VIABILIDADE DE FILTRO ANAERÓBIO DE CHICANAS NO PÓS-TRATAMENTO DE ESGOTOS SANITÁRIOS

Abstract

The objective of this thesis is to evaluate the performance of anaerobic filter with baffles (FAC) for the post treatment of anaerobic effluent and using rings cut from PET bottles as filling medium. The experiment was carried out in three phases characterized by the hydraulic retention times of 7, 9 and 10 days, respectively. The analysis of the UASB and FAC effluents was carried out weekly to evaluate the removal efficiency of organic material expressed as BOD5 e COD, solids and its different fractions, nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) and indicators of faecal contamination (thermotolerant Coliforms). The results showed that there were no significant differences between the FAC effluent during the three phases with respect to organic material and suspended solids (at 5% significance level), but there were differences in the electric conductivity, nitrogen and thermotolerant Coliforms. The FAC presented good performance of organic material removal (65% for COD and 64% for BOD5 during the first phase) and suspended solids (81% for TSS and 83% for VSS during the first phase). Thus it can be noted that the FAC presented good post treatment efficiency of anaerobic effluents, resulting in clarified effluent with low concentrations of organic material (12mg BOD5.L-1), suspended solids (<10 mg TSS. L-1) and turbidity (<10 UNT). With respect to sanitary quality the produced effluent had concentrations of thermotolerant in the range of 103 to 104 UFC.100 mL-1, hence above the standards established by the WHO (1989) for utilization in irrigation without restrictions.