Novel plant species for faecal sludge drying beds: Survival, biomass response and forage quality

Currently, in sub-Saharan African countries, 65 to 100% of the urban population is served by on-site sanitation systems, typically pit latrines and septic tanks. Faecal sludge dewatering in drying beds is one of the most commonly adopted low-cost treatment technologies in developing countries due to favourable climate conditions in terms of temperature and radiation and because their operation and maintenance are simple. Nevertheless, research in tropical dry zones regarding these processes is scarce. In this paper, a mathematical model for faecal sludge dewatering in sludge drying beds (SDBs) focusing on gravity drainage and evaporation processes is presented and discussed. Experimental campaigns were carried out at a pilot site in Tete, Mozambique, to determine the model parameters. The results suggest that the model can be used to estimate, in similar situations, the dewatering process of different types of faecal sludge. The present research might be considered as a contribution to the design and operation of SDBs, supporting sludge management and allowing the estimation of drying times and optimal loading cycles, namely, the sludge thickness and final moisture content.

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Plant species diversity and forage quality as affected by pasture management and simulated cattle activities

Population Ecology ◽

10.1007/s10144-014-0443-4 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 56 (4) ◽

pp. 633-644 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Yu Yoshihara ◽

Miya Okada ◽

Takehiro Sasaki ◽

Shusuke Sato

Keyword(s):

Species Diversity ◽

Plant Species ◽

Forage Quality ◽

Plant Species Diversity ◽

Pasture Management

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Performance of vertical flow constructed wetlands for faecal sludge drying bed leachate: Effect of hydraulic loading

Ecological Engineering ◽

10.1016/j.ecoleng.2014.07.041 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 71 ◽

pp. 384-393 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Ebenezer Soh Kengne ◽

Ives Magloire Kengne ◽

Wilfried Arsene Letah Nzouebet ◽

Amougou Akoa ◽

Hung Nguyeng Viet ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Constructed Wetlands ◽

Vertical Flow ◽

Hydraulic Loading ◽

Vertical Flow Constructed Wetlands ◽

Sludge Drying ◽

Faecal Sludge

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Performance of sludge drying reed beds for the leachate purification: Effects of sludge loading frequencies and plant species

Environmental Research ◽

10.1016/j.envres.2020.110452 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 110452

Author(s):

Shanshan Hu ◽

Huilun Chen ◽

Zhongbing Chen

Keyword(s):

Plant Species ◽

Reed Beds ◽

Sludge Drying

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Risk factor analysis of diarrhoeal disease incidence in faecal sludge-applying farmers’ households in Tamale, Ghana

Journal of Water Sanitation and Hygiene for Development ◽

10.2166/washdev.2013.042 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

pp. 134-143

Author(s):

Razak Seidu ◽

Owe Löfman ◽

Pay Drechsel ◽

Thor Axel Stenström

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Risk Factor ◽

Disease Transmission ◽

Disease Incidence ◽

Population Attributable Fraction ◽

Diarrhoeal Disease ◽

Wealth Status ◽

Drying Time ◽

Sludge Drying ◽

Faecal Sludge

This study assesses the effect of risk factors and their inter-related mediation on diarrhoeal disease incidence in households applying faecal sludge in agricultural fields in Tamale, Ghana. Risk factors were assigned to three inter-related blocks: distal socio-economic, proximal public and domestic domains. The study involved 1,431 individuals living in 165 faecal sludge-applying households followed bi-weekly for 12 months. The incidence rate of diarrhoeal disease in the sludge-applying households was 1.09 (95% CI: 0.78–1.23) diarrhoeal episodes per person year at risk. Risk factors for diarrhoeal disease transmission in the public domain included sludge drying time (population attributable fraction (PAF) of 6%) and distance covered to collect water (PAF = 18%). The main distal socio-economic risk factor was wealth status (PAF = 15%). In the domestic domain, the risk factor significantly associated with diarrhoeal disease transmission was, not washing hands with soap after defecation (PAF = 18%). About 17% of the effect of sludge drying time (including distance to water facilities) was mediated by the domestic domain risk factors. The study recommends risk management strategies in sludge-applying households that address public and domestic domain risk factors in addition to specific farm level interventions.

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Do continental moose ranges improve during cloudy summers?

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z91-260 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 69 (7) ◽

pp. 1875-1879 ◽

Cited By ~ 39

Author(s):

Steinar Bø ◽

Olav Hjeljord

Keyword(s):

Habitat Selection ◽

Habitat Use ◽

Plant Species ◽

Dry Matter ◽

Alces Alces ◽

Forage Quality ◽

Tannin Content ◽

Browse Species ◽

Common Plant ◽

Common Plant Species

We determined differences in forage quality and observed food and habitat selection by radio-collared moose (Alces alces) in southeastern Norway during the summers of 1986 and 1987. June weather was sunny during 1986 and cloudy and wet during 1987. In the most important browse species (Betula sp.), leaf tannin content was lower and the protein: dry matter ratio higher in 1987 than in 1986. Habitat use did not differ significantly between the two summers. During 1987, use of grasses (graminoids) was significantly greater and moose showed a tendency toward greater usage of the most common plant species. The changes in forage quality and choice of plant species by moose during 1987 strengthen earlier assumptions, based on weight comparisons, that continental moose ranges improve during cloudy, wet summers.

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The challenge of faecal sludge management in urban areas - strategies, regulations and treatment options

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2002.0355 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 46 (10) ◽

pp. 285-294 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

A.M. Ingallinella ◽

G. Sanguinetti ◽

T. Koottatep ◽

A. Montangero ◽

M. Strauss

Keyword(s):

Urban Areas ◽

Treatment Options ◽

Wastewater Management ◽

Industrialized Countries ◽

Treatment Standards ◽

Critical Control Points ◽

Suitable Treatment ◽

Sludge Drying ◽

Sanitation Systems ◽

Faecal Sludge

In urban centres of industrialising countries, the majority of houses are served by on-site sanitation systems such as septic tanks and unsewered toilets. The faecal sludges (FS) collected from these systems are usually discharged untreated into the urban and peri-urban environment, posing great risks to water resources and to public health. Contrary to wastewater management, the development of strategies to cope with faecal sludges, adapted to the conditions prevailing in developing countries, have long been neglected. The authors describe the current situation and discuss selected issues of FS management. A proposal is made for a rational setting of sludge quality or treatment standards in economically emerging countries. The authors stipulate that regulatory setting should take into account local economic, institutional and technical conditions. Defining suitable treatment options as critical control points in securing adequate sludge quality is better than setting and relying on numerical sludge quality standards. A separate section is devoted to the practice and to regulatory aspects of (faecal) sludge use in Argentina. An overview of treatment options, which may prove sustainable in less industrialized countries is provided. Planted sludge drying beds are one of these options. It has been piloted in Thailand for four years and details on its performance and operation are presented along with data on the hygienic quality of treated biosolids.

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Macrophytes Potentials of Indigenous Plant Species for Faecal Sludge Constructed Wetland Treatment System

International Journal of Irrigation and Agricultural Development (IJIRAD) ◽

10.47762/2017.964x.26 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 91-105

Author(s):

R. A. Osei ◽

H. Karambiri ◽

Y. Konate ◽

F. K. Abagale ◽

M. Sou/Dakoure

Keyword(s):

Plant Height ◽

Plant Species ◽

Constructed Wetland ◽

Treatment Plant ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Average Height ◽

Average Growth ◽

Bambusa Vulgaris ◽

Indigenous Plant ◽

Faecal Sludge

Constructed Wetland technology has positive potentials for the management of faecal sludge in developing countries of Sub-Saharan Africa. However, identification of indigenous plant species that can survive the high levels of faecal sludge toxicity is a major challenge to its application. Preliminary study highlighted a high complexity of potential macrophytes species identification within the Sahelian context. This study is a preliminary stage of acclimatising four indigenous plant species Setaria verticillata (SV), Cymbopogon nardus (CN), Bambusa vulgaris (BV) and Typha latifolia L. (TL) to wastewater contamination in pot experiment. Macrophytes were subjected to wastewater irrigation from maturation basin of the 2iE Ouagadougou campus wastewater treatment plant. Macrophytes growth was monitored weekly by three growth parameters (No. of Plants per pot, Plant Height and No. of Leaves per pot). Initial plant height of 46.6, 75.7 and 61.7cm for SV, BV and TL, increased to 98, 103.1 and 93.5 cm after 13, 11 and 8 weeks of planting respectively. After 11 weeks of planting the average height of CN, reduced from 66.3 to 42 cm. Number of plants averagely increased from 25 to 130, 4 to15, 4 to 10 and 4 to 8 respectively for SV, CN, BV and TL. Average leaves per pot increased from 95 to 839, 19 to 67, 368 to 508 and 4 to 49 for SV, CN, BV and TL respectively. Variations of average growth rate among species were statistically insignificant. The results thus indicate satisfactory reed potentials with wastewater acclimatisation.

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