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CHARACTERIZATION OF SEPTAGE DISCHARGING TO KHIRBIT AS SAMRA TREATMENT PLANT  

Septage composite samples were collected from Ain-Ghazal pre-treatment facility and analyzed during the period Feb., 2007 to the end of Oct., 2007. Septage showed different concentrations of pollutants during winter compared with summer. The average total COD was found to be 2.16 times higher during summer compared with winter time with average values of 6425 and 2969mg/l for summer and winter respectively. The BOD5(tot) represents 45% of the total COD during both winter and summer. However, VSS/TSS had average values of 0.57 and 0.52. It should be noted that digested sludge has usually VSS/TSS ratio ranging 0.3-0.6. A major concern when septage has to be treated separately and reused for irrigation is the high EC values averaging 6226 μs/cm and 5626 μs/cm for winter and summer, respectively. Septage discharging at Ain-Ghazal pre-treatment facility also contains high counts of Total and fecal coliforms with average values of 1.8×1010 MPN/ml and 2.2×109 MPN/ml, respectively during winter and 1.2×1013 MPN/ml and 1.1×1013 MPN/ml, respectively during summer. These values are higher than those reported for other locations in Jordan. Nematode eggs were also present with high concentrations averaging 98 and 87 eggs/l for winter and summer, respectively. Heavy metals concentrations were found to be lower compared with values reported for the USA and EPA as shown in the report. Anaerobic biodegradability was found to be 75% after 81 days of digestion at 37oC with hydrolysis constant (kh) value of 0.024 d-1, which is low compared with 0.113 d-1 reported for primary sludge digested at 35oC (Mahmoud, 2002). However, the high biodegradability of the septage is comparable with anaerobic biodegradability tests measured previously for the influent to Abu Nusier wastewater treatment plant, which receives wastewater with solely domestic origin. Biodegradability of the influent to Abu Nusier wastewater treatment plant was found to be 76% of the biodegradable fraction after 130 days of digestion at 25oC (Halalsheh, 2002). Aerobic biodegradability was also measured for septage and found to be 48% after 7 days of digestion at 37oC. Biodegradation rate was measured to be 0.46 d-1.