ORIGINAL RESEARCH
A Survey on Nitrogen and Phosphor Compound
Variation Processes in Wastewater Stabilization
Ponds
Meghdad Pirsaheb1, Mehdi Fazlzadehdavil2, Sadegh Hazrati2,
Kiomars Sharafi1, Tarokh Khodadadi1, Yahya Safari3
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1Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health,
Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
2Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health,
Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran
3Department of Public Health, School of Public Health,
Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2014;23(3):831-834
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Being economical has increased utilization of stabilization ponds to remove different contaminants from
wastewater in proper weather conditions. Our current study investigates variations of nitrogen and phosphorous
compound concentrations in effluent of wastewater stabilization ponds. 60 samples were taken from raw
wastewater, anaerobic pond (AP) effluent, primary and secondary facultative ponds (PFP and SFP), and effluent
of final ponds in weekly intervals for 3 months. Samples were examined based on standard methods (20th
edition) for the examination of water and wastewater. Nitrogen kjeldahl removal output due to the AP, PFP,
SFP, and the whole system were 20.6±4.9, 6.6±3.4, 13.4±9.5, and 47.7±9.1%, respectively. Nitrite removal
output due to the PFP, SFP, and the whole system were 30.1±8.8, 36.3±9.8, and 58.8±5.2%, respectively.
Respective values for phosphor removal output in AP and SFP, and the whole system were 21.8±10.3%,
13.3±10.1%, and 20.9±17.1%. However, nitrite concentrations in all samples from AP effluent and phosphor
levels in all samples from PFP effluent increased compared with those of influent. The results showed that AP
plays an important role in removal of organic nitrogen and phosphorous compounds. While the whole system
output in nitrogen compound removal was 58.8±5.2%, phosphor removal output showed low efficiency
(20.9±17.1%). Increasing the number of complete ponds is suggested for increasing phosphor removal efficiency.