Edokpayi Joshua N, Odiyo John O, Popoola Oluwaseun E, Msagati Titus A M
Department of Hydrology and Water Resources, University of Venda, Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, South Africa.
Department of Chemical Sciences, Yaba College of Technology, Nigeria.
Heliyon. 2021 Feb 12;7(2):e06207. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06207. eCollection 2021 Feb.
Waste stabilization ponds (WSPs) are widely used for wastewater management owing to the simplicity of their design, low cost and the use of low-skilled operators. This study was carried out to assess the efficiency of a WSP system in reducing the levels of contaminants in hospital wastewater in a rural area of South Africa and to evaluate the current management of the WSP system. Sampling was conducted monthly from January to June 2014. Physicochemical and microbiological parameters were monitored using standard methods. The microbiological parameters ( and enterococci) in the effluent were higher than those in the influent in some sampling months. Also, low pathogen removal efficiency (<1 log reduction) was recorded. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) in the effluent (82-200 mg/L) exceeded the South African Department of Water Affairs for wastewater discharge guideline value of 75 mg/L although reduction efficiencies of 7.7%, 49.1% and 31.1% were observed for the months of February, April and June, respectively. The WSP system did not show a general trend of contaminant reduction except for Zn (5.5-94.8%). The Siloam WSP is not functioning properly and is releasing effluent of poor quality into the receiving river. It is recommended that the WSP system be expanded to cater for the extra load of wastewater it receives, also desludging should be performed as recommended for such systems. Continuous monitoring of the system for compliance to regulatory guideline should be routinely performed.
稳定塘因其设计简单、成本低且操作人员技能要求不高而被广泛用于废水管理。本研究旨在评估稳定塘系统在南非农村地区医院废水中降低污染物水平的效率，并评估该稳定塘系统的当前管理情况。于2014年1月至6月每月进行采样。使用标准方法监测物理化学和微生物参数。在某些采样月份，出水的微生物参数（和肠球菌）高于进水。此外，记录到病原体去除效率较低（<1个对数减少）。出水的化学需氧量（COD）（82 - 200 mg/L）超过了南非水务部规定的废水排放指导值75 mg/L，不过在2月、4月和6月分别观察到7.7%、49.1%和31.1%的去除效率。除锌（5.5 - 94.8%）外，稳定塘系统未呈现出污染物减少的总体趋势。西洛阿姆稳定塘运行不正常，正将质量较差的出水排放到接纳河流中。建议扩大稳定塘系统以应对其接收的额外废水负荷，同时应按此类系统的建议进行清淤。应定期对该系统进行持续监测以确保符合监管指南。
