Conference presentation
The effects of hypochlorite accumulation on the key species within a decentralised vermifiltration system
3rd Decentralisation Conference on Water and Wastewater International Network (Kathmandu, Nepal, 10/11/2009–13/11/2009)
2009
Abstract
Vermifiltration systems rely on the biodegradation of organic matter in household wastewater to produce a humus filter. The humus filter in an appropriate design is capable of treating wastewater to a high secondary standard suitable for non-contact reuse purposes e.g. irrigation. The variable nature of household wastewater production and constitution may cause toxicity from particular wastewater constituents to the species that biodegrade the organic matter in vermifiltration systems. Due to this, this study was undertaken to assess the toxicity of one particular constituent, hypochlorite, to key species within the vermifiltration process. Hypochlorite and its by-products are present in many household products, especially disinfectants and household cleaners.
During the study, the key vermifiltration species, the worm Eisenia fetida, was subjected to a series of hypochlorite toxicity tests in solid phase mesocosms. The tests showed that the adult worms were relatively tolerant to hypochlorite toxicity, but the reproduction by the worms was impaired at a very low hypochlorite concentration. The overall risk assessment showed that hypochlorite and its main by-products total organic halogens and sodium chloride are unlikely to cause toxicity to E fetida from accumulation in a vermifiltration system, during normal household use.
Details
- Title
- The effects of hypochlorite accumulation on the key species within a decentralised vermifiltration system
- Authors/Creators
- J. Nair (Author/Creator)G. Ho (Author/Creator)K. Mathew (Author/Creator)R. Hughes (Author/Creator)
- Conference
- 3rd Decentralisation Conference on Water and Wastewater International Network (Kathmandu, Nepal, 10/11/2009–13/11/2009)
- Identifiers
- 991005543025207891
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Environmental Science
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Conference presentation
Metrics
1 File views/ downloads
60 Record Views