BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT SYSTEM USING COCONUT WASTE AS SUPPORT MEDIA FOR TREATING GREY WATER

Sabrina Ummi

Master of Engineering 2011

PUS..I KlUdmat Maklum l Ufl1l1' UNlVERSfll ~ IA SARAWAK

BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT SYSTEM USING COCONUT WASTE AS SUPPORT MEDIA FOR TREATING GREY WATER

P.KHIDMAT MAKLUMAT AKADEMIK

11II11111 fli'~illlllllill 1000246325

SABRINA UMMI

A thesis submitted

in fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering

Faculty of Engineering

UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARA W AK 2011

r Ii 1/

DECLARATION

I would like to declare that this dissertation is my original writing, except the data, notes and

facts that already stated with its sources and origins.

SABRINA UMMI

83021 }-13-5144

Vedicatedt~·

my tate belOved:Mollie?; :J# 'Ummi Suliziman

11

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank my supervisor, Dr. Onni Suhaiza Selaman and Prof. Salim Said for

their constant support and much needed direction, also their perseverance with some of my

wild ideas and running hypotheses; some of which were a little pre-emptive. From this, I am

beginning to appreciate how a structured, directed and enthusiastic approach to projects which

have many benefits, including success. There are many walls encountered in research,

whereby without perseverance and lateral thinking some of them would never be overcome.

I would also like to thank Mr. Jethro Henry Adam, Prof Law Puong Ling and Dr.

Ivy Tan for their help throughout this project his assistance and input on the project and the

offers of help. I also would like to thanks all the lab assistances, their laboratory skills which

saved me much needed time on several occasions and all my fellow friends specially my

housemates Ms. Sharifah Norizan Wan Zain and Ms. Siti Hawa Sulaiman for giving

additional supports, helps and ideas for problem solving whenever I needed it.

A lot of thanks also go to government agencies that had provided a lot of information

regarding on wastewater management in Kuching City, especially the Natural Resources and

Environmental Board (NREB) and Sarawak Sewerage Department (SSD). A big thank to

Research and Innovation Management Center, UNIMAS for the financial support on this

project and Zamalah, UNIMAS for providing the scholarship.

III

Finally, I would like to thank my late beloved mother, Puan Hj. Ummi Sulaiman pass

away on 14 June 2011, and fathers Mr. Jubli Chin and Mr. Basri Sirat for their eternal

support and understanding of my goals and aspirations. It is from them that I have drawn all of

my determination and perseverance as there have been many occasions where I questioned

them on my direction and purpose. Without them, I would not have been able to complete

much of what I have done and become who I am. Mom, even though you not around me

anymore, your spirit and courage always be with me forever. RIP.

iv

ABSTRACT

In Sarawak, rivers are an important source of potable water. Nowadays, a number of

environmental issues have been encountered in relation to land used in Sarawak. The issue

mainly concern of wastewater discharges and management. Direct discharge of wastewater

and low performance wastewater treatment facilities leads to deterioration of river water

quality. This matter not only spoils the valuable resources but also will lead to public health

problem.

This research was carried out to develop an individual wastewater treatment system in

order to minimize the pollution from domestic wastewater into the rivers. Water quality trends

of Sarawak River and its tributaries and wastewater characteristic were identified and studied

at the beginning of the researchJ These preliminary results led to development of a biological

wastewater treatment system with focus on domestic wastewater before discharge into the

water inland. Since grey water is generated directly from every household and food outlets in

just about equal volume every day, it presents a constant resource and it is quite a waste to be

thrown away. Proper treatment of grey water at each individual premises is one way reduce

point source of pollutant into the rivers. Such treatment facilities can also open up the potential

for reuse of non-consumptive proposes.

A prototype of Biological Domestic Wastewater Treatment System (BWTS) has been

developed to determine its potential in treating grey water. The proposed system consists of

five unit operations. They are feed tank, primary sedimentation tank, vertical fixed film

v

bioreactor, secondary sedimentation tank and storage tank. A coconut waste was used as the

support media in the bioreactor in order to minimize other sources of solid waste. The seed

consortium was prepared by aerating actual wastewater for a few days until reasonable

microbial growth population achieved (about 600nm optical density). The potential of the

designed treatment system to treat domestic wastewater was evaluated based on its operating

flow rates, concentration of wastewater, and volume of support media. Synthetic wastewater

was used during evaluation.

Treatment process using coconut fiber as support media in bioreactor showed

significant removal of TSS (81.88%), TS (70.83%), COD (93.46%) and BOD (82.03%). The

contribution of coir pith to TSS, TS, COD and BOD removal efficiencies reached 95.92%,

71.88%, 99.86%, and 57.14%, respectively. The removal percentages show that coconut waste

has a capability to be a biofilter. This research also revealed that quality of effluent from the

treatment system decreases as the operating flow rates and concentration of influent increase.

While if the volume of support media inside bioreactor reduces, the effluent quality also drop

off. Biological treatment system has been demonstrated capable to treat synthetic domestic

wastewater.

From the experimental results and observation, the Biological Domestic Wastewater

Treatment System (BWTS) has a possibility to become an alternative in river water quality

restoration. It also can achieve high possible environmental improvement for the least possible

amount of physical and financial resources.

VI

ABSTRAK

Di Sarawak, sungai adalah satu sumber penting untuk bekalan air minuman. Kini beberapa

isu pencemaran alam sekitar berkaitan dengan aktiviti-aktiviti yang dijalankan oleh pihak

tertentu telah limbul di Sarawak. Isu yang membimbangkan adalah pembuangan terus air

kumbahan. Pembuangan langsung air kumbahan tanpa rawatan ataupun aliran keluar air

kumbahan daripada sistem rawatan yang kurang berkesan membawa kepada kemerosotan

kua/iti air sungai. Perkara ini bukan sahaja merosakkan sumber berharga tetapi juga akan

menjurus kepada masalah kesihatan awam.

Penyelidikan ini dijalankan membangunkan sistem rawatan air sisa secara individu

untuk meminimumkan pencemaran dari air sisa domestik ke dalam sungai-sungai tersebut.

Kualiti air Sungai Sarawak dan cawangannya dan sifat-sifat air sisa telah dikenal pasti dan

dipelajari diawal penyelidikan. Keputusan pra-penyelidikan ini menjurus kepada

pembangunan sistem rawatan air sisa secara biologi yang boleh merawat air sisa domestik

sebelum dilepaskan ke kawasa tadahan air. Oleh kerana air kumbahan domestik dilepaskan

secara lang sung dari setiap rumah penduduk dan kedai-kedai makan dalam jumlah yang agak

sama setiap hari, ia merupakan satu sumber malar dan satu pembaziran jika dibuang begitu

sahaja. Proses rawatan air domestik yang baik di setiap premis masing-masing adalah

merupakan satu cara untuk mengurangkan sumber pence mar ke dalam sungai-sungai.

Kemudahan rawatan sedemikian boleh juga membuka potensi untuk penggunaan

semula air yang telah dirawat untuk kegunaan aktiviti luaran rumah. Satu prototaip Sistem

vii

Rawatan Air Kumbahan Domestik Secara Biologi telah dibina untuk mengkaji potensi ia

dalam merawat air kumbahan. Sistem yang dicadangkan terdiri daripada lima unit operasi.

Unit-unit operasi tersebut adalah tangki sua pan, tangki enap sebelum, bioreaktor vertikal,

tangki enap selepas dan tangki simpanan. Bahan-bahan buangan kelapa digunakan sebagai

bahan penapis dalam bioreaktor supaya meminimumkan sumber sisa pepejal yang lain.

Konsortium benih microorganisma telah disediakan dengan mengudarakan air sisa sebenar

untuk beberapa hari sehingga pertumbuhan mikrob munasabah dicapai (kira-kira 600nm

ketumpatan optik). Potensi sistem rawatan air sisa domestik ini dinilai berdasarkannya kadar

aliran ia beroperasi, kepekatan air sisa yang dirawat , dan isipadu media sokongan yang

digunakan semasa rawatan. Air buangan sintetik telah digunakan semasa penilaian.

Proses rawatan menggunakan serat kelapa sebagai media sokongan dalam bioreaktor

menurljukkan peratusan penyingkiran yang besar dim ana TSS (81.88%), TS (70.83%), COD

(93.46%) dan BOD (82.03%). Manakala sumbangan empulur sabut kelapa kepada peratusan

penyingkiran untuk TSS, TS, COD, dan BOD mencecah 95.92%, 71.88%, 99.86%, dan

57.14% masing-masing. Peratusan penyingkiran menunjukkan sisa kelapa mempunyai

kemampuan untuk menjadi penapis biologi. Penyelidikan juga mendedahkan bahawa kualiti

air yang telah dirtiwat menurun apabila system beroperasi pada kadar aliran yang tinggi dan

merawat air sisa yang berkepekatan tinggi. Manakala jika jumlah media sokongan di dalam

bioreaktor dikurangkan, kualiti air yang telah dirawat juga juga menurun. Sistem rawatan

biologi telah didemonstrasikan mampu merawat air sisa domestik sintetik.

Daripada keputusan ekperimen dan pemerhatian yang telah dijalankan, Sistem

Rawatan Air Kumbahan Domestik Secara Biologi mempunyai satu kebolehan untuk menjadi

Vlll

alternatif dolam proses peningkatan kualiti air sungai. Pendekatan ini menggabungkan aspek

elconomi untukjangka panjang, mesra alam sekitar dan melestarikan kualiti air sungai-sungai

diSarawak.

ix

P al. Kh.i mal aJdumat Akademik UNlVERSm MALAYSIA SARAWA)(

TABLE OF CONTENTS

iiiACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABSTRACT v

viiABSTRAK

xTABLE OF CONTENTS

xvUST OF FIGURES

xviiLIST OF TABLES

xixLIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1.1 The Sarawak River Basin

51.2 Problem Statements

61.3 Objectives and specific Aims

61.4 Hypothesis

71.5 Structure of Thesis

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

92.1 Water Resources

112.2 Sewage

152.3 Wastewater Management in Kuching City

172.4 Wastewater Treatment

202.5 Biological Wastewater Treatment

252.6 Coconut Waste in Attached Growth Biological Reactor

x

r

2.7 General Observation on Attached Growth Biological Treatment 28

CHAPTER 3: MATERIALS AND METHODS

3.1 Introduction 29

3.2 Research Framework 29

3.3 Treatment System Design and Fabrication 30

3.3.1 Feed Tank 33

3.3.2 Pre Sedimentation Tank 33

3.3.3 Vertical Fixed Film Bioreactor 34

3.3.4 Post Sedimentation Tank 34

3.3.5 Storage Tank 35

3.4 Experimental Design 36

3.4.1 Preliminary Experimental Procedures 36

3.4.2 Operating Flow Rates 41

3.4.3 Concentration of Wastewater 43

3.4.4 Volume of Support Media 45

3.4.5 Coir Pith as Support Media 48

3.5 Analysis 50

3.5.1 Dissolved Oxygen (DO) 51

3.5.1.1 Manganous Sulfate Solution 51

3.5.1.2 Alkali Iodide Azide Reagent 51

3.5.1.3 Starch Indicator Solution 52

3.5.1.4 Standard Sodium Thiosulfate Titrant 52

3.5.1.5 Standard Potassium Bi -Iodate Solution (0.0021 M) 52

xi

3.5.1.6 Azide Modification Test Procedure 53

3.5.2 Total Solids (TS) 54

3.5.3 Total Suspended Solids (TSS) 55

3.5.4 Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) 56

3.5.4.1 Digestion Solution 56

3.5.4.2 Sulfuric Acid Reagent 57

3.5.4.3 Closed Reflux Methods Procedures 57

3.5.5 Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BODs) 58

3.5.5.1 Phosphate Buffer Solution 59

3.5.5.2 Magnesium Sulfate Solution 59

3.5.5.3 Calcium Chloride Solution 59

3.5.5.4 Ferric Chloride Solution 59

3.5.5.5 BOD-5 Days Test Procedures 59

ICHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Introduction 62 1

4.2 Jtesearch Framevvork 62 1 r

4.3 Treatment System Design 68

i 4.4 Treatment System Operating Flovv Rates 69

I

4.4.1 Suspended Solids 70

4.4.2 Total Solids 73

4.4.3 Chemical Oxygen Demand 74 I

4.4.4 Biochemical Oxygen Demand 76

4.4.5 Total Removal Percentages (Flovv Rates Analysis) 78

xu

------~---------------------=====~~~~--==~~------~~=====--====~---=~--------~

81 4.4.6 Estimation of Discharges Times (Flow rates Analysis)

4.5 Concentration of Synthetic Wastewater

4.5.1 Suspended Solids

4.5.2 Total Solids

4.5.3 Chemical Oxygen Demand

4.5.4 Biochemical Oxygen Demand

4.5.5 Total Removal Percentages (Concentration Analysis)

4.5.6 Estimation of Discharges Times (Concentration Analysis)

4.6 Volume of Support Media In Bioreactor

4.6.1 Suspended Solids

4.6.2 Total Solids

4.6.3 Chemical Oxygen Demand

4.6.4 Biochemical Oxygen Demand

4.6.5 Total Removal Rates (Volume of Support Media Analysis)

4.6.6 Estimation of Discharges Times (Volume of Support Media Analysis)

4.7 Coir Pith as Support Media

4.7.1 Experiment with Single Concentration of Synthetic Wastewater

4.7.2 Experiment with Double Concentration of Synthetic Wastewater

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1 Conclusion

5.2 Limitation

5.3 Recommendation for Future Works

XIII

82

85

86

88

89

91

93

94

96

97

98

100

101

103

104

106

108

111

112

112

REFERENCES 114

APPENDIX A: Samples of Calculation 123

APPENDIX B-1: Data Sheet (Flow Rates Analysis -1.8 liter/min) 126

APPENDIX B-2: Data Sheet (Flow Rates Analysis - 4.0 liter/min) 130

APPENDIX B-3: Data Sheet (Flow Rates Analysis - 6.0 liter/min) 134

APPENDIX B-4: Data Sheet (Flow Rates Analysis - 8.0 liter/min) 138

APPENDIX B-5: Data Sheet (Concentration Analysis - Double) 142

APPENDIX B-6: Data Sheet (Concentration Analysis - Triple) 146

APPENDIX B-7: Data Sheet (Concentration Analysis - Quadruple) 150

APPENDIX B-8: Data Sheet (Volume of Packing Material Analysis -75%) 154

APPENDIX B-9: Data Sheet (Volume of Packing Material Analysis - 50%) 158

APPENDIX B-10: Data Sheet (Coir Pith Analysis - Concentration Single) 162

APPENDIXB-l1: Data Sheet (Coir Pith Analysis - Concentration Double) 166

APPENDIX C: Photographs 170

APPENDIX D-1: Chemistry Fundamental and Applications,

ISBN 978-967-5418-02-0 174

APPENDIX D-2: Proceedings of EnCon2010

ISBN 978-967-5418-10-5 181

APPENDIX D-3: A Study on Relationships between Land Used and River Water

Quality in Southern Region of Sarawak 187

APPENDIXD-4: TSS and COD Removal in Biological Domestic Wastewater

Treatment System; with Bioreactor Filled with Coconut Fiber 193

POSTER

xiv

j

•

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2-1: Hydrological cycles 10

Figure 2-2 Wastewater Treatment 19

Figure 2-2: Coconut fruit 26

Figure 3-1: Research activities flow chart 31

Figure 3-2: Schematic diagram for proposed treatment system 32

Figure 3-3: The entire treatment system set up 37

Figure 3-4: Bundles ofcoconut coir 38

Figure 3-5: Coconut coir inside bioreactor 38

Figure 3-6: Microbial population on agar plates 41

Figure 4-1: Direct sewage discharge from food outlet into the Sg. Padungan 63

Figure 4-2: Sg. Sekama become a waste dumping conduit by the nearest resident 63

Figure 4-3: The recorded of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), and Total Suspended 64

Solid (TSS) for Sg. Sarawak, 1999-2007

Figure 4-4: The recorded of Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Biochemical Oxygen Demand 65

(BOD), and Ammonia Nitrogen for Sg. Sarawak, 1999-2007

Figure 4-5: Water quality trends for four of Sg. Sarawak tributaries, Sg. Maong, Sg. 66

Bintangor, Sg. Padungan and Sg. Sekama

Figure 4-6: Suspended solids vs flow rates 71

Figure 4-7: Total solids vs flow rates 73

Figure 4-8: Chemical oxygen demand vs flow rates 75

xv

Figure 4-9:

Figure 4-10:

Figure 4-11 :

Figure 4-12:

Figure 4-13:

Figure 4-14:

Figure 4-15:

Figure 4-16:

Figure 4-17:

Figure 4-18:

Figure 4-19:

Figure 4-20:

Figure 4-21 :

Figure 4-22:

Figure 4-23:

Figure 4-24:

Figure 4-25:

Biochemical oxygen demand vs flow rates 77

Removal percentage after 60 treatment cycles (operating flow rates 78

analysis)

Fresh synthetic wastewater before treatment 80

Synthetic wastewater after treatment at 1.8 liter/min 80

Suspended solids vs concentration 86

Total solids vs concentration 87

Chemical oxygen demand vs concentration 89

Biochemical oxygen demand vs concentration 90

Removal efficiency at 75 treatment cycles 92

Suspended solids vs volume of support media 97

Total solids trends vs volume of support media 98

Chemical oxygen demand vs volume of support media 99

Biochemical oxygen demand vs volume of support media 101

Coir pith 104

Coir pith inside bioreactor 105

Comparison of effluent quality between coconut coir and coir pith as 107

support media (single concentration)

Comparison of effluent quality between coconut coir and coir pith as 108

support media (double concentration)

xvi

LIST OF TABLES

Table I-I: Classification of Sg. Sarawak and its tributaries based on NWQSM and WQI 4

in 2007

Table 2-1: Environmental Quality (Sewage and Industrial Effluents) Regulations, 2009 13

Maximum Effluent Parameters Limits Standards A and B

Table 2-2: National Water Quality Standard (NWQS) 14

Table 3-1: Composition of synthetic wastewater 39

Table 3-2: Luria-Bertani broth media recipe 40

Table 4-1: Food outlet wastewater characteristic 68

Table 4-2: Hydraulic retention time 70

Table 4-3: Loading rates for different operating flow rates 70

Table 4-4: Effluent quality after 60 treatment cycles (flow rates analysis) 79

Table 4-5: Estimation of discharges time vs flow rates 81

Table 4-6: Compositions of synthetic wastewater for different concentration 83

Table 4-7: Characteristics of fresh synthetic wastewater for different concentration 84

Table 4-8 Loading rates for different characteristics of fresh synthetic wastewater 84

Table 4-9: Effluent quality at 75 treatment cycles 93

Table 4-10: Estimation of discharges time vs concentration of influent 94

Table 4-1 I: Height and volume of coconut fiber inside bioreactor 95

Table 4-12: Loading rates for different volumes of support media 95

Table 4-13: Eflluent quality at final treatment cycles vs volume of support media 102

xvii

Estimation of discharges time vs volume of support media 103

Loading rates vs coir pith as support media 106

Comparison of removal percentages between coconut coir vs coir pith as 110

support media

Comparison of estimated discharges time between coconut coir and coir pith 110

xviii

APHA

BAF

BOD

COD

CP

DID

DOE

EMS

FPB

FR

GAC

HRT

INWQS

LR

MF

MLSS

MLVSS

NiHCF

NREB

NWQSM

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

American Public Health Association

Biological Aerated Filter

Biochemical Oxygen Demand

Chemical Oxygen Demand

Coir Pith

Department of Irrigation and Drainage

Department of Environment

Environmental Management System

Fluidized Pellet Bed

Flow Rates

Granular Activated Carbon

Hydraulic Retention Time

Interim National Water quality Standard

Loading Rates

Microfiltration

Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids

Mixed Liquor Volatile Suspended Solids

Nickel Hexacyanoferrate

Natural Resources and Environmental Board

National Water Quality Standard for Malaysia

xix

OFR

RWQMP

SAGB

SAR

SRT

Tep

IDS

TKN

TN

TS

TSS

UNIMAS

WQI

Operating Flow Rates

River Water Quality Monitoring Programme

Submerged Attached Growth Bioreactor

Suspended Aerobic Reactor

Solid Retention Time

Trichlorophenol

Total Dissolved Solids

Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen

Total Nitrogen

Total Solids

Total Suspended Solids

Universiti Malaysia Sarawak

Water Quality Index

xx

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 The Sarawak River Basin

Sarawak River or Sg. Sarawak is a river located in State of Sarawak, Malaysia. The area

of Sarawak River Basin is approximately 2,459km2, whereby the length of the main

river is about 120 km. It has been an important source of water supply and

transportation for the inhabitants in southwestern Sarawak. The river has also been used

for water-related sport activities such as Annual Sarawak Regatta, which attracts

significant number of tourists all over the world every year.

Recently, there is a slight deterioration of water quality in Sungai Sarawak. However,

the section of Sg. Sarawak that flows through the ~ity of Kuching has been classified as

"significantly polluted." The main sources of pollution are raw and insufficiently treated

wastewaters, which are directly discharged to the open drains in the city. Faecal-derived

coliform bacteria impose a major health risk polluted with organic matters and nutrients,

leading to oxygen deficiency, deleterious impact on the aquatic environment. If the

problems continue, inhabitants in southwestern part of Sarawak will lose the main

source of quality water for maintaining human life and for protecting natural ecological

systems.

The Natural Resources and Environment Board, Sarawak (NREB) is one of the state

agencies re~onsible for monitoring water quality of Sg. Sarawak and its tributaries and

other water catchment areas of Sarawak. NREB has been carrying out River Water

Quality Monitoring Program (RWQMP) since 1999 in an attempt to monitor the

impacts of human activities on the river water quality. Usually, water samplings are

conducted on a monthly or quarterly basis, depending on the sensitivity, relevancy and

accessibility of the locations.

The NREB also carries out some other environmental studies related to the water

quality of Sg. Sarawak. In 2001, a study entitled "Environment of Sg. Sarawak:

Relationship between City and River" had been carried out in conjunction with the

development of an Environmental Management System (EMS) for Kuching City. This

study provides a description of the river quality and sources of pollution; indicators for

the future river quality in the EMS. The findings of this study clearly indicate that the

water quality of Sg. Sarawak and its tributaries could be improved by establishing

efficient sewage treatment system for the individual households located within the

catchment.

In 2003, Sarawak State Government further embarked on exploring other alternatives to

minimize the pollution from wastewater discharge. The State conducted a feasibility

study on future wastewater management for Kuching; the Master Plan Study for a

In 2004, NREB, State Government of Sarawak and

Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) Sarawak proposed a Framework Plan for

Integrated Wastewater Management for Kuching. This Framework Plan describes an

approach which combines conventional, ecological and other methodologies into an

I

2