Assessment of efficiency of use of Lemnáceas in a channel with low residence time for polishing wastewater

• Grant number: 13/00390-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2013
• End date: March 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Environmental Sanitation
• Principal Investigator: Liliane Lazzari Albertin
• Grantee: Gustavo Ricci da Silva
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia (FEIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Ilha Solteira. Ilha Solteira , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Ponds with floating macrophytes, especially the family Lemnaceae sp., known as duckweeds, have been successfully used for polishing wastewater, creating biomass with high protein value. This research project will evaluate the removal efficiency of nutrients, suspended solids, organic matter, and pathogens, of the treatment system that uses duckweeds and a channel with low residence time for polishing wastewater generated at sewage treatment of Ilha Solteira, SP. The removal efficiency and the production of duckweeds will be correlated with climatic variations of the study area within a period of 11 months. This project is proposed to assist and complement research funded by FAPESP (Master's scholarship, Process number 2012/14234-0), which will investigate the feasibility of the proposed treatment system for the production of duckweeds. This biomass with high added value can be promisingly used for bioenergy production. The central idea is to improve the concept of a sewage treatment plant integrated and sustainable: duckweeds can be grown while the sewage is treated, in a simple, economical and based on natural processes. (AU)