Development of an Integrated Biological Wastewater Treatment System for the Full Utilization of High Nitrogen Livestock Waste

Abstract

Livestock wastes such as Liquid Swine Manure (LSM), when discharged improperly, contribute to ground and surface water contamination. These wastes are also full of valuable nutrients that can be converted to bioproducts such as fertilizers, fuels, and feed. For this reason, increasing attention has been focused on utilizing and treating this waste so that it can be discharged without detrimental environmental effects. In Chapter 1 the significance of this study and the purpose of each major component in the system are explained. Then Chapter 2 examines the obstacles apparent from literature to successful biological waste treatment as it regards each component. Finally in Chapter 3 a series of methods including thermal vacuum stripping pretreatment, mesophilic anaerobic digestion, microalgae treatment, and hydroponic cultivation are evaluated for full utilization of wastewater through nutrient removal and recovery, and a balance of mass and nutrients throughout the system is proposed. Overall, the system was capable of reducing the key nutrient parameters (COD, TN, ammonia, TP) to a large degree (>98%) while producing valuable side products. This approach has the potential to sustainably treat agricultural wastewater while offsetting treatment costs with the production of valuable bioproducts.