TREATMENT OF ABATTOIR EFFLUENT THROUGH SAWDUST CHARCOAL FILTER

ABSTRACT

This research work evaluates the efficiency of sawdust charcoal filter in treatment of abattoir effluent. Samples for raw abattoir effluent were collected from Ede, Osun State. The arrangement of the filter consists of 40mm layer of beach sand placed at the bottom of the bucket, followed by 60mm layer of sawdust charcoal and finally 50mm layer of granite as the topmost layer Flow rate test was conducted on the filter and physical, chemical and bacteriological analyses were also conducted on raw, coagulated effluent and filtered effluent and the result was compared with the effluent standards of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA). Conclusively, the filter performed efficiently in reducing the degree of turbidity and other contaminants in the effluent samples. Although, the sawdust charcoal filter brings about little increase in the level of some elements in the effluent samples but the contaminant level of those elements is still within the wastewater standard.