Evaluation of Natural Treatment Systems and Conventional Fluidized-Bed Wastewater Treatment Systems for Organic Load Reduction and Final Effluent Management for Agricultural Reuse

Abstract

In Argentina, facultative stabilization ponds (natural biological treatment systems) are the most widely used wastewater treatment technology due to the limited availability of advanced technologies, which is mainly attributable to their high capital, operation, and maintenance costs. In addition, some provinces, such as Mendoza, require the agricultural reuse of treated effluent, which necessitates the removal of helminth eggs through filtration before final disposal. To a lesser extent, activated sludge systems and oxidation ditches (conventional treatment systems) are employed in regions with extremely cold climates, where stabilization ponds are not a feasible option.
Research conducted in Europe and the Middle East indicates that different municipal wastewater treatment technologies are commonly adopted because of variations in climatic conditions, economic resources, and the availability of technological infrastructure.
This topic has not been studied in the country, and in the Province of Mendoza there is particularly little previous research. Therefore, the objective of this study is to contribute to a better understanding of the performance of the different wastewater treatment methods applied in the province, as well as the quality of the treated effluent obtained for reuse. This is achieved by comparing the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of effluents treated using natural biological treatment systems and conventional treatment systems at the San Martín and Potrerillos facilities (for the purpose of presenting the preliminary results).