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Doctoral Thesis
A Study of Environmentally Friendly Methods for Contaminant Removal and Nutrient Recovery in Aquatic Systems
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Murdoch University
2023
Abstract
There are significant environmental consequences associated with abattoir effluents (wastewater). Due to wastewater containing high levels of pollutants, it cannot be discharged into the environment or municipal wastewater treatment systems. Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a treatment technique that is reliable, efficient, and cost-effective in breaking down bulk waste organic streams. However, even after being treated using the AD process, the effluent still does not meet the standards for direct release into the environment due to high Nitrogen and phosphate concentrations. Therefore, further treatment is required.
Bioremediation techniques (i.e., using algae to treat wastewater) have emerged as highly desirable methods. Compared to microalgae, limited studies have investigated the use of macroalgae for wastewater treatment. The easy and cost-effective way of harvesting macroalgae makes them a more desirable alternative than microalgae. To determine the suitability of macroalgal cultivation for the treatment of AD effluent, this doctoral research aimed to investigate the efficacy and application of West Australian freshwater filamentous macroalgae to treat Anaerobically Digested Abattoir Effluent (ADAE). That is, this study investigated whether ammonia concentration, CO2 addition, and the mixing regime can affect on biomass growth, and nutrient removal. The findings of this research study defined the highest filamentous productivity (185 mg DW/L/d) and ADAE treatment, achieved under mixing, CO2 addition and ammonia levels of around 45 mg/L. The outcome was then applied to investigate a novel strategy for the economically viable treatment of high-nutrient ADAE effluent using macroalgae. Integrating macroalgae ADAE treatment with zeolite as an adsorbent results in a hybrid system. The novel system showed the potential to recover both ammonia (N) and phosphorus (P), offering industrial and commercial benefits (animal feed, fertiliser, etc.). Furthermore, the technique can enhance onsite wastewater treatment and reduces pollutant discharge into the environment. Finally, the study concludes with a cost estimate of this unique technology to examine whether the produced biomass and clean water offset the cost of the system.
Details
- Title
- A Study of Environmentally Friendly Methods for Contaminant Removal and Nutrient Recovery in Aquatic Systems
- Authors/Creators
- Vida Alvani
- Contributors
- Damian Laird (Supervisor) - Murdoch University, Centre for Water, Energy and WasteJoe Fontaine (Supervisor) - Murdoch University, Centre for Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Sustainability
- Awarding Institution
- Murdoch University; Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Identifiers
- 991005687464207891
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Environmental and Conservation Sciences
- Resource Type
- Doctoral Thesis
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