title: Cilioprotists as biological indicators for estimating the efficiency of using Gravel Bed Hydroponics System in domestic wastewater treatment.
abstract: Interest has increased over the last several years in using different methods for treating sewage. The rapid population growth in developing countries (Egypt, for example, with a population of more than 87 millions) has created significant sewage disposal problems. There is therefore a growing need for sewage treatment solutions with low energy requirements and using indigenous materials and skills. Gravel Bed Hydroponics (GBH) as a constructed wetland system for sewage treatment has been proved effective for sewage treatment in several Egyptian villages. The system provided an excellent environment for a wide range of species of ciliates (23 species) and these organisms were potentially very useful as biological indicators for various saprobic conditions. Moreover, the ciliates provided excellent means for estimating the efficiency of the system for sewage purification. Results affirmed the ability of this system to produce high quality effluent with sufficient microbial reduction to enable the production of irrigation quality water.
authors: Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Science, Port Said University, Port Said, Egypt ; Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors: Hamed A
authors: HA
authors: El-Serehy
authors: Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Port Said University, Port Said, Egypt.
authors: Magdy M
authors: MM
authors: Bahgat
authors: Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors: Khaled
authors: K
authors: Al-Rasheid
authors: Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors: Fahad
authors: F
authors: Al-Misned
authors: Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors: Golam
authors: G
authors: Mortuza
authors: Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Port Said University, Port Said, Egypt ; Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Limnoecology Research Group, University of Pannonia, Egyetem u. 10, H-8200 Veszprem, Hungary.
authors: Hesham
authors: H
authors: Shafik
keywords: Ciliates; Gravel Bed Hydroponics Systems; Pollution indicator; Sewage; Wastewater