Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis of nitrifiers in piggery wastewater treatment reactors

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was performed to analyze the nitrifying microbial communities in an activated sludge reactor (ASR) and a fixed biofilm reactor (FBR) for piggery wastewater treatment. Heterotrophic oxidation and nitrification were occurring simultaneously in the ASR and the COD and nitrification efficiencies depend on the loads. In the FBR nitrification efficiency also depends on ammonium load to the reactor and nitrite was accumulated when free ammonia concentration was higher than 0.2 mg NH3-N/L. FISH analysis showed that ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (NSO1225) and denitrifying bacteria (RRP1088) were less abundant than other bacteria (EUB338) in ASR. Further analysis on nitrifying bacteria in the FBR showed that Nitrosomonas species (NSM156) and Nitrospira species (NSR1156) were the dominant ammonia-oxidizing and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria, respectively, in the piggery wastewater nitrification system.

Organic Matter Removal from Piggery Wastewater in Waste Stabilisation Pond in Nigeria

Four (4) wastewater quality variables: chemical oxygen demand (COD), total solid (TS), total dissolved solid (TDS), and total suspended solid (TSS) were determined. Analysed samples comprises of raw influent and effluents entering and leaving the stabilisation ponds. Significant reduction in variables were obtained, maximum and minimum values obtained for COD were 917mg/l (anaerobic pond), and 13mg/l (maturation pond). For TS, TDS and TSS, maximum and minimum values obtained were 14,420mg/l, 9,180mg/l, 5,240mg/l and 3,398mg/l, 3,120mg/l, 278mg/l respectively. Removal efficiencies recorded for parameters in final effluent (maturation pond) were 98.55% (COD), 76.44% (TS), 66.01% (TDS), and 94.69% (TSS) respectively.

亚硝化—厌氧氨氧化处理猪场废水研究

猪场废水COD浓度高、氨氮浓度高、悬浮物浓度高，已成为农村面源污染的主要来源，并严重威胁到农村饮用水安全。猪场废水氨氮浓度高、处理难度大，如何采用经济高效的方法，去除氨氮使其达到排放标准，一直是猪场废水处理中面临的重要难题。 厌氧氨氧化是近年受到国内外水处理研究者广泛关注的新型生物脱氮技术，具有不需要外加有机碳源、节省供氧量、降低能耗等优点。虽然国内外研究者对厌氧氨氧化过程的脱氮机理、厌氧氨氧化菌的生理生化特性等进行了多方面的研究，但已有的报道大多以模拟废水为研究对象，以猪场废水为研究对象的报道，在国内外文献中极少有报导。 本论文以猪场废水为主要研究对象，考察了猪场废水的亚硝化过程、厌氧氨氧化的启动过程，并对亚硝化和厌氧氨氧化联合用于猪场废水脱氮进行了探索。 1．论文首先研究了猪场废水的亚硝化过程，考察了废水水质和主要运行条件对亚硝化过程的影响。实验表明：（1）亚硝化阶段反应时间为8到10h时，出水中氨氮和亚硝酸盐浓度比可达到1：1～1：1.23，满足厌氧氨氧化反应对二者比例的要求；达到前述要求时，氨氮去除率达到58.3～65.6 %，亚硝化率在整个过程均保持在97 %以上，COD去除率在59.2～68.6 %；（2）曝气量（溶解氧）对亚硝化过程影响显著，随着曝气量增大，达到厌氧氨氧化要求的氨氮与亚硝酸盐氮浓度比例所需水力停留时间τ越短，pH出现明显下降的时间越短；（3）τ对应的pH在7.8～8.1之间，无需进行pH调节即可满足厌氧氨氧化反应对pH的要求；（4）氨氮和COD降解过程遵循一级反应动力学，氨氮和COD降解的速率常数分别为0.0656～0.0724 1/h和0.0491～0.0664 1/h。 2．在进行亚硝化过程研究的同时，以模拟废水为试验对象，进行厌氧氨氧化启动研究。以反硝化污泥和养殖厂储水池厌氧底泥的混合污泥作为接种污泥，历时大约100天，培育出具有厌氧氨氧化活性的污泥，氨氮和亚硝酸盐氮最高进水浓度分别为223.8 mg/L和171.4 mg/L，去除率最高分别达48%和41.5%，此时二者消耗比例为1.33：1。 3．在猪场废水的亚硝化研究完成和厌氧氨氧化过程初步启动成功后，在模拟废水中逐步加入猪场废水的亚硝化处理出水，逐步实现亚硝化和厌氧氨氧化的组合。亚硝化出水添加到厌氧反应器后，厌氧氨氧化反应仍可继续进行，且去除效率逐步提高。研究发现添加的亚硝化出水中携带的亚硝化细菌在厌氧氨氧化菌膜外层生长并累积，增加了厌氧氨氧化反应基质的传质阻力，妨碍了厌氧氨氧化效率的提高。 4．亚硝化－厌氧氨氧化实际工程应用探索中，生物接触氧化池可在有效去除废水中的有机物的同时实现亚硝化，出水中氨氮和亚硝酸盐比例平均为1.10，可满足后续厌氧氨氧化的要求；在适宜的进水浓度和温度下，ABR池出现了厌氧氨氧化启动的迹象；研究同时发现，水质的波动和气温的变化是工程中影响厌氧氨氧化菌活性的重要因素。 论文的主要创新点在于：（1）以猪场废水为研究对象，以实现厌氧氨氧化为目标，对亚硝化过程进行了比较详细的考察，获得了亚硝化出水满足厌氧氨氧化要求的工艺条件，通过对其COD和氨氮降解过程的考察，得出亚硝化阶段COD降解和氨氮去除的动力学模型；（2）对亚硝化－厌氧氨氧化处理猪场废水进行了探索，确立了影响其污染物去除率稳定的重要因素。 论文的上述研究成果，为厌氧氨氧化技术的实用性研究提供理论依据。 Piggery wastewater, which is characterized by high concentration of COD、ammonium and suspend substance, has become a most important source of non-point source pollution and also severely threats drinking water security in rural area. How to discharge piggery wastewater with the ammonium concentration meeting standard by economical and effective method? This is the most urgent problem in piggery wastewater treatment. As a new biological nitrogen removal technology, Anammox process has been paid more and more attention by researchers all over the world. Anammox has advantages of no need of organic carbon addition, low oxygen consumption and energy consumption. Plenty of investigations have been carried out to the mechanism, physiological and biochemical characteristic of bacteria about Anammox. Most of researches focused on synthetic wastewater, there is rare report about its application in piggery wastewater. In this paper，experimental studies were performed to investigate Sharon process in treatment of piggery wastewater，the start up process of Annammox using synthetic wastewater were studied, the feasibility of applying Sharon-Anammox process in the nitrogen removal of piggery wastewater was evaluated. 1. Sharon process of piggery wastewater was firstly investigated to analyze the effects of water quality and main running parameters, which meet the NH4+-N to NO2--N ratio requirement of successive Anammox. Results showed: (1)During Sharon Process，after 8～10 hours’ reaction the NH4+-N to NO2--N ratio in effluent reached 1:1.0～1:1.23, when the removal percentage of NH4+-N was 58.3～65.6 %, a semi-nitration rate of above 97 % was achieved during the process; meanwhile 59.2～68.6 % of the COD was also removed. (2)The aeration rate（oxygen） had obvious effect on the hydraulic retention time(τ) which met the NH4+-N to NO2--N ratio requirement of Anammox. As aeration rate increased, the hydraulic retention time(τ) was shortened. (3) The pH corresponding to τ was between 7.8 and 8.1, thus it needed no artificial adjustment. (4) The reduction of ammonia and COD followed the first-order reaction kinetics. The velocity constants of ammonia and COD were 0.0656～0.0724 1/h and 0.0491～0.0664 1/h, respectively. 2. The startup of Anammox process using the artificial wastewater was performed simultaneously with Sharon. The aim was to investigate the running parameters of Anammox and make foundation for the combination stage. By using the mixture of denitrifying sludge and anaerobic sludge in tank of the breeding factory, sludge of Anammox activity was cultivated in UASB after 100 days. The removal percentage of NH4+-N and NO2-N were up to 48% and 41.5%, respectively, when the NH4+-N and NO2-N influent concentration were 223.8 mg/L and 171.4 mg/L, respectively, the NH4+-N and NO2-N removal rate was 1.33:1. 3. After investigation of Sharon and startup of Anammox, effluent of Sharon process was added into the synthetic wastewater to combine Sharon and Anammox step by step. It took some time after the addition of Sharon effluent that Anammox reaction continued and the removal rate kept increasing. It indicated that nitrifying bacteria were carried by the Sharon effluent cumulated in the outer layer of Anammox. This enhanced transfer resistance of Anammox reaction and the increasing removal rate was restrained. 4. In the bio-contact oxidation pond of practical project, Sharon process were carried out successfully and organic compounds were removed effectively. An average NO2-N/ NH4+-N rate of 1:1.0 was achieved in the effluent, which met the requirement of successive Anammox. Under condition of suitable influent concentration and temperature, there was evidence that Anammox could start up in ABR. The variety of wastewater and temperature had great affects on Anammox activity in practical engineering. Innovation of this paper: (1) The Sharon process for treating piggery wastewater was discussed in details. Technological parameters that met requirement of Anammox were obtained. The dynamic models of COD and ammonium removal in the process were educed. (2) Sharon-Ananmmox for treatment of piggery wastewater was investigated, and the primary influencing factors was studied. This paper could be a theoretical consult for research of Anammox utility.

猪场废水短程硝化反硝化-厌氧氨氧化脱氮研究

畜禽废水是农村水环境污染的主要来源之一，其处理的难点在于脱氮。传统生物脱氮法具有能耗高、需大量外加碳源等缺点，开发低成本、高效率的新型生物脱氮技术具有重要意义。 本研究将短程硝化反硝化和厌氧氨氧化两种脱氮新技术结合，让前者为后者创造去除可降解COD、降低总氮负荷、调整pH、调整氨氮和亚硝酸盐氮浓度比例等进水条件，而后者可在无需外加碳源的条件下进一步脱氮，二者结合可成为高氨氮、低C/N废水脱氮的新途径。 试验以低碳氮比猪场废水为研究对象，首先进行了短程硝化反硝化预处理研究，同时启动并运行调控厌氧氨氧化反应器，最后以经过短程硝化反硝化预处理的猪场废水为进水，进行厌氧氨氧化脱氮考察。实验表明：（1）短程硝化反硝化作为厌氧氨氧化的预处理工序是可行的。猪场废水通过短程硝化反硝化，可以达到基本去除可生化COD、部分脱氮、控制出水氨氮和亚硝酸盐氮浓度之比在1︰1左右、pH在7.5～8.0的目的， COD和总氮平均去除率分别为64.3%、49.1%,出水可达到厌氧氨氧化反应的进水要求。（2）采用模拟废水启动厌氧氨氧化反应器，经过5个月左右的运行调控，反应器启动成功并稳定运行，最高总氮去除率为87.1%，总氮容积去除率最高达到0.14kg/m3.d；整个稳定阶段，氨氮、亚硝酸盐氮、硝酸盐氮的变化量之比为1︰1.21︰0.33。（3）经过短程硝化反硝化预处理的猪场废水厌氧氨氧化脱氮效果稳定，氨氮、亚硝酸盐氮、总氮、COD的平均去除率分别为93.0%、99.4%、84.6%、18.1%，处理效果与模拟废水处理系统相比无明显变化。（4）经过短程硝化反硝化预处理后，猪场废水中残留有机物成分在厌氧氨氧化反应过程中无显著变化，主要为酯类和烷烃类物质；残留有机物对厌氧氨氧化效果无明显影响。（5）采用PCR技术进行特殊功能菌种检测，结果表明模拟废水处理系统和猪场废水处理系统的菌群中均含有厌氧氨氧化菌和好氧硝化菌；通过blast比对，厌氧氨氧化菌扩增序列与未培养的Planctomycetales菌和Candidatus Brocadia fulgida菌16S rRNA部分序列相似性分别为95％、90%。（6）MPN法菌种计数结果显示，模拟废水处理系统和猪场废水处理系统的菌群中均含有硝化细菌、亚硝化细菌和少量反硝化菌，实验条件下的微生物系统是一个厌氧氨氧化菌与好氧硝化菌、反硝化菌共存的系统。 Poultry wastewater is one of the main source of water pollution in rural areas，and nitrogen removal is the most difficult part in treating poultry wastewater. There are some disadvantages in traditional nitrogen removal, such as high energy consumption and more additional organic carbon. It is important to develop ecolomical and efficient technologyies. Shortcut nitricfication/denitrification, as a pretreatment process, was combined with Anammox in this research, so that part of total nitrogen and most degradable COD could be removed by the former, and further nitrogen removal could be implemented by the latter. The combination of the two technologies was a new approach to treat wastewater with high ammonium and low C/N. Piggery wastewater with low C/N was treated in lab-scale experiment. Firstly, shortcut nitrification/denitrification was investigated, and Anammox reactor was started up successfully at the same time. Then piggery wastewater after pretreatment was treated by Anammox. The results showed :(1) It was feasible to take nitrification/denitrification as the pretreatment process of Anammox. By using this process, part of total nitrogen and COD were removed, the ratio of ammonium and nitrite reached around 1︰1 and the pH was about 7.8, which were favorable for Anammox. The average removal percentage of COD and total nitrogen were about 64.3% and 49.1%, respectively. (2) Simulated wastewater was used to start up Anammox reactor. The reactor was started up successfully within 5 months and stable performance was achieved. The highest nitrogen removal reached 87.1% and the biggest volumetric total nitrogen removal rate reached 0.14kg/m3.d. The average ratio of ammonium, nitrite and nitrate was 1:1.21:0.33. (3)Taking the effluent of shortcut nitrification/denitrification as the influent, the nitrogen removal efficiency of Anammox was stable, and the the average removal percentage of ammonium, nitrite, total nitrogen and COD were 93.0%, 99.4% , 84.6% and 18.1%, respectively, which had little difference with that by using simulated wastewater..(4) After pretreatment, the residual organic carbon in piggery wastewater showed no obvious change during the Anammox process, and the main organic compounds were saturated hydrocarbon and ester, which had no obvious negative effect on Anammox process.(5) By PCR technology, the existence of Anammox bacteria was confirmed and the aerobic nitrifying bacteria was found to coexist as well. The result of blast showed that the identities of Anammox bacterium to part of 16S rRNA sequence of uncultured Planctomycetales bacterium and Candidatus Brocadia fulgida bacterium were 95% and 90%, respectively.（6）By MPN method, nitrite oxidizer, ammonium oxidizer and denitrification bacteria were detected in both simulated and piggery wastewater treatment system of Anammox, and the microorganism system was composed of Anammox bacteria，aerobic bacteria and denitrification bacteria together.

Advances in heterogeneous photocatalytic degradation of phenols and dyes in wastewater : a review

The heterogeneous photocatalytic water purification process has gained wide attention due to its effectiveness in degrading and mineralizing the recalcitrant organic compounds as well as the possibility of utilizing the solar UV and visible light spectrum. This paper aims to review and summarize the recently published works in the field of photocatalytic oxidation of toxic organic compounds such as phenols and dyes, predominant in waste water effluent. In this review, the effects of various operating parameters on the photocatalytic degradation of phenols and dyes are presented. Recent findings suggested that different parameters, such as type of photocatalyst and composition, light intensity, initial substrate concentration, amount of catalyst, pH of the reaction medium, ionic components in water, solvent types, oxidizing agents/electron acceptors, mode of catalyst application, and calcinations temperature can play an important role on the photocatlytic degradation of organic compounds in water environment. Extensive research has focused on the enhancement of photocatalysis by modification of TiO2 employing metal, non-metal and ion doping. Recent advances in TiO2 photocatalysis for the degradation of various phenols and dyes are also highlighted in this review.

Influence of parameters on the heterogeneous photocatalytic degradation of pesticides and phenolic contaminants in wastewater : a short review

In recent years, the application of heterogeneous photocatalytic water purification process has gained wide attention due to its effectiveness in degrading and mineralizing the recalcitrant organic compounds as well as the possibility of utilizing the solar UV and visible light spectrum. This paper aims to review and summarize the recently published works on the titanium dioxide (TiO2) photocatalytic oxidation of pesticides and phenolic compounds, predominant in storm and waste water effluents. The effect of various operating parameters on the photocatalytic degradation of pesticides and phenols are discussed. Results reported here suggested that the photocatalytic degradation of organic compounds depends on the type of photocatalyst and composition, light intensity, initial substrate concentration, amount of catalyst, pH of the reaction medium, ionic components in water, solvent types, oxidizing agents/electron acceptors, catalyst application mode, and calcinations temperature in water environment. A substantial amount of research has focused on the enhancement of TiO2 photocatalysis by modification with metal, non-metal and ion doping. Recent developments in TiO2 photocatalysis for the degradation of various pesticides and phenols are also highlighted in this review. It is evident from the literature survey that photocatalysis has shown good potential for the removal of various organic pollutants. However, still there is a need to find out the practical utility of this technique on commercial scale.

Heterogeneous photocatalytic degradation of phenols in wastewater : a review on current status and developments

In recent years, there has been an enormous amount of research and development in the area of heterogeneous photocatalytic water purification process due to its effectiveness in degrading and mineralising the recalcitrant organic compounds as well as the possibility of utilising the solar UV and visible spectrum. One hundred and twenty recently published papers are reviewed and summarised here with the focus being on the photocatalytic oxidation of phenols and their derivatives, predominant in waste water effluent. In this review, the effects of various operating parameters on the photocatalytic degradation of phenols and substituted phenols are presented. Recent findings suggested that different parameters, such as type of photocatalyst and composition, light intensity, initial substrate concentration, amount of catalyst, pH of the reaction medium, ionic components in water, solvent types, oxidising agents/electron acceptors, mode of catalyst application, and calcination temperatures can play an important role on the photocatalytic degradation of phenolic compounds in wastewater. Extensive research has focused on the enhancement of photocatalysis by modification of TiO2 employing metal, non-metal and ion doping. Recent developments in TiO2 photocatalysis for the degradation of various phenols and substituted phenols are also reviewed.

Computational fluid dynamics analysis of a flat plate photocatalytic reactor for storm and wastewater reuse

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis has been performed for a flat plate photocatalytic reactor using CFD code FLUENT. Under the simulated conditions (Reynolds number, Re around 2650), a detailed time accurate computation shows the different stages of flow evolution and the effects of finite length of the reactor in creating flow instability, which is important to improve the performance of the reactor for storm and wastewater reuse. The efficiency of a photocatalytic reactor for pollutant decontamination depends on reactor hydrodynamics and configurations. This study aims to investigate the role of different parameters on the optimization of the reactor design for its improved performance. In this regard, more modelling and experimental efforts are ongoing to better understand the interplay of the parameters that influence the performance of the flat plate photocatalytic reactor.

Recent developments in photocatalytic degradation of pesticides and phenols in storm and wastewater effluent

The heterogeneous photocatalytic oxidation process offers a versatile promise in the detoxification and disinfection of wastewater containing hazardous organic compounds such as pesticides and phenolic compounds in storm and wastewater effluent. This process has gained wide attention due to its effectiveness in degrading and mineralizing the organic compounds into harmless and often useful components. To develop an efficient photocatalytic process, titanium dioxide has been actively studied in recent years due to its excellent performance as a photocatalyst under UV light irradiation. This paper aims at critically evaluating and highlighting the recent developments of the heterogeneous photocatalytic systems with a special focus on storm and wastewater treatment applications.

Risk-based approach to the management of on-site wastewater treatment facilities

Background On-site wastewater treatment system (OWTS) siting, design and management has traditionally been based on site specific conditions with little regard to the surrounding environment or the cumulative effect of other systems in the environment. The general approach has been to apply the same framework of standards and regulations to all sites equally, regardless of the sensitivity, or lack thereof, to the receiving environment. Consequently, this has led to the continuing poor performance and failure of on-site systems, resulting in environmental and public health consequences. As a result, there is increasing realisation that more scientifically robust evaluations in regard to site assessment and the underlying ground conditions are needed. Risk-based approaches to on-site system siting, design and management are considered the most appropriate means of improvement to the current standards and codes for on-site wastewater treatment systems. The Project Research in relation to this project was undertaken within the Gold Coast City Council region, the major focus being the semi-urban, rural residential and hinterland areas of the city that are not serviced by centralised treatment systems. The Gold Coast has over 15,000 on-site systems in use, with approximately 66% being common septic tank-subsurface dispersal systems. A recent study evaluating the performance of these systems within the Gold Coast area showed approximately 90% were not meeting the specified guidelines for effluent treatment and dispersal. The main focus of this research was to incorporate strong scientific knowledge into an integrated risk assessment process to allow suitable management practices to be set in place to mitigate the inherent risks. To achieve this, research was undertaken focusing on three main aspects involved with the performance and management of OWTS. Firstly, an investigation into the suitability of soil for providing appropriate effluent renovation was conducted. This involved detailed soil investigations, laboratory analysis and the use of multivariate statistical methods for analysing soil information. The outcomes of these investigations were developed into a framework for assessing soil suitability for effluent renovation. This formed the basis for the assessment of OWTS siting and design risks employed in the developed risk framework. Secondly, an assessment of the environmental and public health risks was performed specifically related the release of contaminants from OWTS. This involved detailed groundwater and surface water sampling and analysis to assess the current and potential risks of contamination throughout the Gold Coast region. Additionally, the assessment of public health risk incorporated the use of bacterial source tracking methods to identify the different sources of fecal contamination within monitored regions. Antibiotic resistance pattern analysis was utilised to determine the extent of human faecal contamination, with the outcomes utilised for providing a more indicative public health assessment. Finally, the outcomes of both the soil suitability assessment and ground and surface water monitoring was utilised for the development of the integrated risk framework. The research outcomes achieved through this project enabled the primary research aims and objects to be accomplished. This in turn would enable Gold Coast City Council to provide more appropriate assessment and management guidelines based on robust scientific knowledge which will ultimately ensure that the potential environmental and public health impacts resulting from on-site wastewater treatment is minimised. As part of the implementation of suitable management strategies, a critical point monitoring program (CPM) was formulated. This entailed the identification of the key critical parameters that contribute to the characterised risks at monitored locations within the study area. The CPM will allow more direct procedures to be implemented, targeting the specific hazards at sensitive areas throughout Gold Coast region.

Performance evaluation of onsite wastewater treatment : field sampling and preliminary evaluation of results

Background The onsite treatment of sewage and effluent disposal within the premises is widely prevalent in rural and urban fringe areas due to the general unavailability of reticulated wastewater collection systems. Despite the seemingly low technology of the systems, failure is common and in many cases leading to adverse public health and environmental consequences. Therefore it is important that careful consideration is given to the design and location of onsite sewage treatment systems. It requires an understanding of the factors that influence treatment performance. The use of subsurface effluent absorption systems is the most common form of effluent disposal for onsite sewage treatment and particularly for septic tanks. Additionally in the case of septic tanks, a subsurface disposal system is generally an integral component of the sewage treatment process. Therefore location specific factors will play a key role in this context. The project The primary aims of the research project are: • to relate treatment performance of onsite sewage treatment systems to soil conditions at site; • to identify important areas where there is currently a lack of relevant research knowledge and is in need of further investigation. These tasks were undertaken with the objective of facilitating the development of performance based planning and management strategies for onsite sewage treatment. The primary focus of the research project has been on septic tanks. Therefore by implication the investigation has been confined to subsurface soil absorption systems. The design and treatment processes taking place within the septic tank chamber itself did not form a part of the investigation. In the evaluation to be undertaken, the treatment performance of soil absorption systems will be related to the physico-chemical characteristics of the soil. Five broad categories of soil types have been considered for this purpose. The number of systems investigated was based on the proportionate area of urban development within the Brisbane region located on each soil types. In the initial phase of the investigation, though the majority of the systems evaluated were septic tanks, a small number of aerobic wastewater treatment systems (AWTS) were also included. This was primarily to compare the effluent quality of systems employing different generic treatment processes. It is important to note that the number of different types of systems investigated was relatively small. As such this does not permit a statistical analysis to be undertaken of the results obtained. This is an important issue considering the large number of parameters that can influence treatment performance and their wide variability. The report This report is the second in a series of three reports focussing on the performance evaluation of onsite treatment of sewage. The research project was initiated at the request of the Brisbane City Council. The work undertaken included site investigation and testing of sewage effluent and soil samples taken at distances of 1 and 3 m from the effluent disposal area. The project component discussed in the current report formed the basis for the more detailed investigation undertaken subsequently. The outcomes from the initial studies have been discussed, which enabled the identification of factors to be investigated further. Primarily, this report contains the results of the field monitoring program, the initial analysis undertaken and preliminary conclusions. Field study and outcomes Initially commencing with a list of 252 locations in 17 different suburbs, a total of 22 sites in 21 different locations were monitored. These sites were selected based on predetermined criteria. To obtain house owner agreement to participate in the monitoring study was not an easy task. Six of these sites had to be abandoned subsequently due to various reasons. The remaining sites included eight septic systems with subsurface effluent disposal and treating blackwater or combined black and greywater, two sites treating greywater only and six sites with AWTS. In addition to collecting effluent and soil samples from each site, a detailed field investigation including a series of house owner interviews were also undertaken. Significant observations were made during the field investigations. In addition to site specific observations, the general observations include the following: • Most house owners are unaware of the need for regular maintenance. Sludge removal has not been undertaken in any of the septic tanks monitored. Even in the case of aerated wastewater treatment systems, the regular inspections by the supplier is confined only to the treatment system and does not include the effluent disposal system. This is not a satisfactory situation as the investigations revealed. • In the case of separate greywater systems, only one site had a suitably functioning disposal arrangement. The general practice is to employ a garden hose to siphon the greywater for use in surface irrigation of the garden. • In most sites, the soil profile showed significant lateral percolation of effluent. As such, the flow of effluent to surface water bodies is a distinct possibility. • The need to investigate the subsurface condition to a depth greater than what is required for the standard percolation test was clearly evident. On occasion, seemingly permeable soil was found to have an underlying impermeable soil layer or vice versa. The important outcomes from the testing program include the following: • Though effluent treatment is influenced by the physico-chemical characteristics of the soil, it was not possible to distinguish between the treatment performance of different soil types. This leads to the hypothesis that effluent renovation is significantly influenced by the combination of various physico-chemical parameters rather than single parameters. This would make the processes involved strongly site specific. • Generally the improvement in effluent quality appears to take place only within the initial 1 m of travel and without any appreciable improvement thereafter. This relates only to the degree of improvement obtained and does not imply that this quality is satisfactory. This calls into question the value of adopting setback distances from sensitive water bodies. • Use of AWTS for sewage treatment may provide effluent of higher quality suitable for surface disposal. However on the whole, after a 1-3 m of travel through the subsurface, it was not possible to distinguish any significant differences in quality between those originating from septic tanks and AWTS. • In comparison with effluent quality from a conventional wastewater treatment plant, most systems were found to perform satisfactorily with regards to Total Nitrogen. The success rate was much lower in the case of faecal coliforms. However it is important to note that five of the systems exhibited problems with regards to effluent disposal, resulting in surface flow. This could lead to possible contamination of surface water courses. • The ratio of TDS to EC is about 0.42 whilst the optimum recommended value for use of treated effluent for irrigation should be about 0.64. This would mean a higher salt content in the effluent than what is advisable for use in irrigation. A consequence of this would be the accumulation of salts to a concentration harmful to crops or the landscape unless adequate leaching is present. These relatively high EC values are present even in the case of AWTS where surface irrigation of effluent is being undertaken. However it is important to note that this is not an artefact of the treatment process but rather an indication of the quality of the wastewater generated in the household. This clearly indicates the need for further research to evaluate the suitability of various soil types for the surface irrigation of effluent where the TDS/EC ratio is less than 0.64. • Effluent percolating through the subsurface absorption field may travel in the form of dilute pulses. As such the effluent will move through the soil profile forming fronts of elevated parameter levels. • The downward flow of effluent and leaching of the soil profile is evident in the case of podsolic, lithosol and kransozem soils. Lateral flow of effluent is evident in the case of prairie soils. Gleyed podsolic soils indicate poor drainage and ponding of effluent. In the current phase of the research project, a number of chemical indicators such as EC, pH and chloride concentration were employed as indicators to investigate the extent of effluent flow and to understand how soil renovates effluent. The soil profile, especially texture, structure and moisture regime was examined more in an engineering sense to determine the effect of movement of water into and through the soil. However it is not only the physical characteristics, but the chemical characteristics of the soil also play a key role in the effluent renovation process. Therefore in order to understand the complex processes taking place in a subsurface effluent disposal area, it is important that the identified influential parameters are evaluated using soil chemical concepts. Consequently the primary focus of the next phase of the research project will be to identify linkages between various important parameters. The research thus envisaged will help to develop robust criteria for evaluating the performance of subsurface disposal systems.