CONTENTS

• Introduction to Waste Management

• Methods of Waste Disposal
• Biogas Technology
• Composting
• Sewage Treatment
• Sludge Treatment and Disposal
• Key Water Quality Indicators
• Biofuels
 INTRODUCTION TO
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Definition and Importance : Waste management involves the collection,
transport, processing and disposal of waste materials. Its primary goal is
to reduce the adverse effects of waste on human health and the
environment. Effective waste management helps reduce pollution,
conserves resources and supports public health.
Types of wastes :
1. Organic wastes: Biodegradable materials like food scraps, yard
waste and agricultural residues.
2. Inorganic wastes: Non biodegradable materials, including plastics,
metals and glass.
 Methods of Waste Disposal
Landfilling: Landfilling is the process of placing waste in a controlled
manner on or in the land.
Incineration: Incineration is a waste treatment process that involves
burning waste materials at high temperatures to destroy contaminants
and reduce waste volume
Recycling: Recycling is the process of treating materials or products so
that they can be used again. The materials that are processed are called
"recyclates“.
Composting: Composting is the natural process of recycling organic
matter, such as leaves and food scraps, into a valuable fertilizer that can
enrich soil and plants
 Biogas Technology
Biogas is produced through anaerobic digestion, where
microorganisms break down organic matter (e.g., food, waste,
and manure) without oxygen. This produces biogas, primarily
methane and carbon dioxide.
Biogas System Components:
1. Inlet: Where organic matter (waste) enters the system.
2. Digester Tank: The main chamber where anaerobic
digestion occurs.
3. Gas Storage: Stores the produced biogas.
4. Outlet: For the removal of digested slurry, which can be
used as fertilizer.
 Benefits of Biogas
1. Renewable Energy: Biogas is a sustainable source of
energy that reduces dependence on fossil fuels.
2. Environmental Benefits: Reduces greenhouse gas
emissions by capturing methane, which would
otherwise escape from waste in landfills.
3. Waste Management: Efficiently handles organic
waste, reducing landfill use.
4. Agricultural Applications: The by-product, digestate,
is a nutrient-rich fertilizer.
 Composting
Composting is the aerobic (oxygen requiring) decomposition of organic
material. Microorganisms break down this material into humus, a
nutrient rich soil amendment.
TYPES OF COMPOSTING:
1. Traditional Composting: Slow process, generally used for
yard waste and small scale composting.
2. Vermicomposting: Uses worms, primarily red wigglers, to
decompose food waste quickly.
3. Aerobic Composting: Requires regular aeration and is faster
than traditional methods.
4. Anaerobic Composting: Occurs without oxygen and
produces methane, often used in biogas systems.
 Stages of Composting
• Mesophilic Phase: Initial stage(20-40 degree Celsius),
where simple organic materials are broken down.
• Thermophilic Phase: Higher temperature stage (40-70
degree Celsius), where pathogens are destroyed, and
complex materials are broken down.
• Cooling Phase: Temperatures drop, and fungi and
actinomycetes break down remaining organic material.
• Curing Phase: The compost matures and stabilizes
 Benefits of Composting
1.Nutrient Enrichment: Compost adds
essential nutrients to soil.
2.Soil Health: Improves soil structure
and water retention.
3.Waste Reduction: Diverts organic
waste from landfills.
 Sewage Treatment
Sewage treatment is the process of removing contaminants from
wastewater to make it safe for release into the environment or reuse.
Treatment Stages:
1. Primary Treatment: Physical removal of large solids through
sedimentation and screening.
2. Secondary Treatment: Biological process where microbes
decompose dissolved organic matter. This includes methods like
activated sludge, tricking filters, and oxidation ponds.
3. Tertiary Treatment: Advanced stage for removing specific
contaminants (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorus, heavy metals). Common
methods include filtration, chemical coagulation and chlorination.
 Domestic Wastewater
Treatment Process
• I. Preliminary stage
• During this stage of wastewater treatment, all the constituents that can cause damage to the pumps or
interfere with the operations are eliminated at this stage. The floating solids are removed or reduced to
small sizes. The other inorganic objects for example metal, sand or glass should also be removed.
• That is made possible by using a specifically designed apparatus for the job. They include;
• a. Racks and Bar Screens
• In most cases, the bars used to provide a clear space of one to two inches. Screens are normally set
vertically (large ones), and the smaller screens are set at an angle of 45 -60 degrees. As the incoming
water passes through them, the large floating solids are trapped, removed and disposed of by either
burial or incineration.
• b. Comminuting devices
• They include cutters, shredders, and grinders. The work of these devices is to cut up, shred and grind
solids into smaller sizes. If the shredded solids are not well removed regularly, they may end up clogging
the diffuser.
• c. Grit removal chamber
• Its purpose is to remove heavier particles and suspended solids from the wastewater. That helps in
reducing the digester frequency, reducing the formation of residue in channels, pipelines, and conduits.
Removing grit saves mechanical equipment from abnormal wear and abrasion.
 II. Primary wastewater
treatment
• This process involves sedimentation of the solid waste within the water
flow. Wastewater is passed through the filters, whose work is to filter
out large contaminants from the water. The solid contaminant settling
at the bottom of the tank is referred to as raw sludge.
• It is normally collected in a hopper and pumped out for disposal. To
remove floating objects and grease, you can use mechanical surface-
skimming devices.
• Clarifiers are settling tanks built with mechanical means to remove
solids being deposited by sedimentation continuously. Tube Settler help
to reducethe vertical distance a small particle must settle before
gathering to form larger particles.
 III. Secondary wastewater treatment
• It involves the removal of soluble organic matter that gets past the primary treatment. Biological processes
are normally used, where the microbes do consume organic substances such as food residue and converts
them into the water, carbon dioxide and energy enhancing growth and reproduction. One of the benefits of
this process is that it protects the dissolved oxygen balance of a river or lake where the effluent flow is
directed to.
• The basic biological treatment methods are
• a. Biofiltration
• In this process sand filters, trickling filters or contact filters are put in place to ensure that additional sediment
is eliminated from the wastewater.
• b. Aeration
• The process involves mixing wastewater with a solution concentrated with microorganisms in the
aeration tank. The mixture is aerated for up to 30 hours, for maximum effect. It may be a long process, but
the results are promising.
• c. Oxidation Ponds
• This process is normally intended to be used in warmer places. The wastewater is passed through a natural
body of water like a lagoon for some time, and it is retained for about two to three weeks before it is released
to join the normal flow.
• d. MBBR system
• MBBR media is a highly effective biological treatment process that utilizes floating High Capacity
MicroOrganism BioChips within the aeration and anoxic tanks. The microorganisms in the MBBR consume
organic material. There are several MBBR systems available such as K1 media.
 IV. Anaerobic
• This process is energy efficient and most appropriate to treat industrial
wastewater. Biomass is used to convert COD (chemical oxygen demand) or
organic contaminants into biogas in an environment where there is no oxygen.
• The end product is the energy, which is used to power the treatment plant. The
green energy produced is relatively cheap and environment-friendly. Here are
some of the advantages of using anaerobic treatment method;
• Lower chemicals usage
• Uses less energy
• Reduces the cost of handling sludge
• Small reactor surface area
 V.Aerobic treatment
• With the presence of oxygen in this process, the microorganisms react
with the organics to form a new biomass and carbon dioxide. That
demands oxygen to be supplied continuously to the tanks to allow the
aerobic bacteria "eat" the waste in the water.
• This treatment can be used to eliminate phosphorous and nitrogen in a
process known as biological nutrient removal (BNR).
• Compared to the anaerobic treatment method, this method uses a lot of
energy for aeration, and more sludge is produced. Fine bubble diffuser is
used to save energy by helping in oxygen distribution. It produces fine air
bubbles at the bottom of the tank which rises to the top helping in the
transfer of oxygen to the water.
• Combining the two processes enables the effluent to meet the
requirements of even the strictest environmental safety regulations.
 VI. Tertiary treatment
• This is the last process in basic wastewater management. It is done to reduce
pathogens, turbidity, and organics. It involves physicochemical treatment such
as filtration, reverse osmosis, coagulation, and additional disinfection.
• This is normally done to guarantee safety to the users of the effluent before it
is discharged to the main water channel for reuse in activities such as
irrigation, domestic use and support of marine wildlife.
• The tertiary treated wastewater is passed through a chlorine contact tank for
disinfection. After the water is chlorinated, it goes through a discharge tank
and be given time to react.
• Chlorine helps to eliminate microorganisms, viruses, bacteria, and parasites
such as cryptosporidium and giardia. Since chlorine can be harmful to aquatic
life and also affect the water quality, to ensure that there is no remaining
chlorine, sodium bisulfite is added just before the treated water is discharged.
 Sludge Treatment and Disposal

1.Thickening and Stabilization : Reduces

sludge volume and pathogens.
2.Anaerobic Digestion : Stabilizes sludge
and produces biogas
3.Final Disposal : After treatment, sludge
can be incinerated, landfilled or used as
fertilizer.
 Key Water Quality Indicators
• Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
Definition: The amount of dissolved oxygen required by aerobic
organisms to decompose organic matter in water.
Significance: Higher BOD indicates more organic pollution; critical for
assessing water quality in rivers and lakes.
• Dissolved Oxygen (DO)
Definition: The oxygen available in water for aquatic organisms.
Significance: High DO levels are essential for fish and aquatic life; low
levels can lead to dead zones.
• Carbon Monoxide(CO):
Relevance: Although rare in water, CO can indicate
contamination, often from industrial pollution.
• Carbon dioxide(CO2):
Role: CO2 levels affect water Ph levels and aquatic plant life.
Excess CO2 can lead to acidification, harming marine
organisms.
• CHLORINE(Cl2)
Use in Water Treatment: Acts as a disinfectant to kill harmful
pathogens.
Monitoring Importance: High chlorine levels can be toxic to
aquatic ecosystems, so careful regulation is needed.
 BIOFUELS
• Definition and types: Biofuels are renewable fuels derived
from organic materials. Key types include bioethanol (from
fermenting plant materials), biodiesel (from fats and oils),
and biogas.
• Production Process:
1. Bioethanol: Produced by fermenting carbohydrates from
crops like sugarcane and corn.
2. Biodiesel: Made through transesterification of oils and fats.
3. Biogas: Produced through anaerobic digestion of organic
waste.
• ADVANTAGES:
1. Environmental Benefits: Biofuels produce lower greenhouse gas
emissions than fossil fuels.
2. Renewable Resource: Biofuels come from biomass, which can be
replenished.
• LIMITATIONS
1. Land Use: Biofuel production can compete with food crops for land.
2. Environmental Impact: Some biofuel crops require heavy pesticide
and water use.
• APPLICATIONS:
1. Transportation: Bioethanol and biodiesel can be used in vehicles,
reducing reliance on petroleum.
2. Electricity Generation: Biogas can power generators to produce
electricity.
 THANK YOU!
Submitted to:
Dr. JAGDISH
Department of Microbiology
Submitted by:
YASHIKA
M.Sc. Environmental Sciences
Admission No. : 2024BS10M