title: Removal of pollutants and pathogens by a simplified treatment scheme for municipal wastewater reuse in agriculture.
abstract: The availability of high quality water has become a constraint in several countries. Agriculture represents the main water user, therefore, wastewater reuse in this area could increase water availability for other needs. This research was aimed to provide a simplified scheme for treatment and reuse of municipal and domestic wastewater based on Sequencing Batch Biofilter Granular Reactors (SBBGRs). The activity was conducted at pilot-scale and particular attention was dedicated to the microbiological quality of treated wastewater to evaluate the risk associated to its reuse. The following microorganisms were monitored: Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Clostridium perfringens, somatic coliphages, adenovirus, enterovirus, Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium parvum. The possibility of SBBGR enhancement with sand filtration was also evaluated. The SBBGR removed >90% of suspended solids and chemical oxygen demand, and 80% and 60% of total nitrogen and phosphorous, respectively. SBBGR was also effective in removing microbial indicators, from 1 (for C. perfringens) up to 4 (for E. coli) log units of these microorganisms. In particular, the quality of SBBGR effluent was already compatible with the WHO criteria for reuse (E. coli ≤103CFU/100mL). Sand filtration had positive effects on plant effluent quality and the latter could even comply with more restrictive reuse criteria.
authors.affiliation: Water Research Institute, CNR, Via F. De Blasio 5, 70123 Bari, Italy. Electronic address: marco.desanctis@ba.irsa.cnr.it.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Sanctis
authors.affiliation: Water Research Institute, CNR, Via F. De Blasio 5, 70123 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Del Moro
authors.affiliation: Water Research Institute, CNR, Via F. De Blasio 5, 70123 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chimienti
authors.affiliation: Water Research Institute, CNR, Via F. De Blasio 5, 70123 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Pierangela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ritelli
authors.affiliation: Water Research Institute, CNR, Via Salaria Km 29.300, 00015 Monterotondo, RM, Italy.
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Levantesi
authors.affiliation: Water Research Institute, CNR, Via F. De Blasio 5, 70123 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Iaconi
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D005374:Filtration; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D062065:Wastewater; D014871:Water Microbiology; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D062065:Wastewater
keywords: Disinfection; Escherichia coli; Pathogen removal; Protozoa; Virus; Wastewater reuse