Waste Water Treatment with Conventional Materials (Chlorine, Aluminium Sulphate, Polyelectrolyte) as Well as Local Materials (Activated Charcoal and Burnt Bricks) in Makurdi Benue State Nigeria: A Comparative Study

Abstract

Used water from restaurants hands and utensils washing was collected for pilot treatment. Red burnt bricks known to contain a small amount of iron oxide and activated charcoal crushed together were used as traditional means of water coagulants .The impurities in water became suspended particles and gradually settled to the bottom of the container used .Large heavy particles settled out readily, smaller and lighter particles settled down more slowly . Conventional water treatment chemicals (0.25% aluminum sulphate solution and 0.25 % polyelectrolyte ) were added to another sample of the same waste water and the impurities were brought together into larger, heavier masses of solids called floc which also settled down . In both samples chlorine as sodium hypochlorite in granular form was added 2.5g while softening was achieved by adding 0 .25 % Soda ash -sodium trioxocarbonate (iv) Na₂CO_{3 .} In both samples results show the values of the physicochemical parameters (Conductivity Turbidity Odour Temperature ^oC Colour Suspended Solids mg/L Oil in Water mg/L Total Dissolved Solids mg/L and Total Solids mg/L ) reduced almost to zero levels and close to WHO/NIGERIA Allowable Standards 2005. This renders credibility to the use of both conventional and local materials for water treatment effectively and the need to source for more environmentally local materials for such purpose .

Keywords: Physico-Chemical, Waste Water, Heavy Particles, Sustainability, Turbidity