Enhanced ripening of biosand filters

• Grant number: 14/12376-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): August 01, 2014
• Effective date (End): January 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
• Principal Investigator: Lyda Patricia Sabogal Paz
• Grantee: Kalyl Gomes Calixto
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The biosand filter - BSF has been used in needy communities around the world due to its simplicity and efficiency in removing physical, chemical and microbiological parameters. Nevertheless, there are still not enough studies that assess the ripening of the biofilter, targeting the fast supply of drinking water. Authors like Earwaker (2006) and Stauber et al. (2009) indicated that the biofilter maturation is a key operational parameter to a good technology acceptance by the community. The chances of abandonment tend to increase, in situations where the biofilter's user needs to wait several days to obtain drinking water. Ripening can take days, weeks or even months, being even more critical when the natural water supply is underground, that is due the absence of some essential nutrients for the development of organic layer (schmutzdecke). In this context, the research aims to study the performance of a biosand filter, in a real scale, when, in a controlled way, fish feed is mixed with the study water. The hypothesis to be tested is whether the food in question may create a faster development of organic layer conditions. The ration will be used because it can be easily acquired over isolated communities in the country. To develop the study, a biosand filter will be operated in continuous flow. The BSF is installed in the Laboratory of the Hydraulics and Sanitation Department, at São Carlos's Engineering School, University of São Paulo - SHS/EESC /USP. The research will increase knowledge regarding BSF aiming its subsequent transfer to isolated communities in Brazil.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

CALIXTO, KALYL GOMES; SABOGAL-PAZ, LYDA PATRICIA; POZZI, ELOISA; CAMPOS, LUIZA CINTRA. Ripening of household slow sand filter by adding fish food. JOURNAL OF WATER SANITATION AND HYGIENE FOR DEVELOPMENT, v. 10, n. 1, p. 76-85, MAR 2020. (14/12376-8, 14/12712-8, 17/02512-0)