POLLUTANT REMOVAL MECHANISM IN NATURAL WASTE WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM

Mr. Shashikant B Salunke*, Dr. Prashant Bhave**

Abstract: Natural waste water treatment processes depends upon natural responses like force of
sedimentation or natural components like microorganisms to achieve the intended purpose. Land
treatment of waste water was the first natural waste water treatment method developed in the 19 th century
in USA. Natural waste water treatment methods are available in three categories i.e. Aquatic, terrestrial
and wetland. Conventional waste water treatment systems are Energy and cost consumptive and need
constant skilled supervision hence executed in Municipal corporation areas. Natural waste water
treatment methods are becoming popular in rural areas where land availability is not the constraint.

This paper reviews the removal of waste water pollutants viz. COD, Nitrogen, phosphorus, sodium and
other micronutrients, pathogens etc by adopting Natural Waste Water treatment methods like soil
biotechnology. Pollutant removal efficiency and limitations will be compared with conventional treatment
methods.

Key words: Chemical oxygen demand (COD), Inorganic matter, Total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), soil
biotechnology, wetland system.

*M.Tech scholar, Environmental Engineering, VJTI, Mumbai 400 019

**Associate professor, Environmental Engineering, VJTI, Mumbai 400 019

Pollutant removal mechanism in natural waste water treatment system Page 1/10
1.0 Natural treatment systems:
Natural systems for waste-water treatment are designed to take advantage of the physical, chemical, and
biological processes that occur in the natural environment when water, soil, plants, micro-organisms and
the atmosphere interact1. Natural treatment systems include land treatment, floating aquatic plants and
constructed wetlands. All natural treatment systems are preceded by some form of mechanical
pretreatment for the removal of gross solids. Where sufficient land suitable for the purpose is available,
these systems can often be the most cost-effective option in terms of both construction and operation.
They are frequently well suited for small communities and rural areas.

2.0 Need for treatment :

The effects of the discharge of untreated waste-water into the environment are manifold and depend on
the types and concentrations of pollutants. Important contaminants in terms of their potential effects on
receiving waters and treatment concerns are outlined in Table 1.

Table 1: Important contaminants in waste-water

Sr. Contaminants Reason for importance

No.
1 Suspended Can lead to development of sludge deposits and anaerobic conditions when
solids(ss) untreated waste water is discharged to aquatic environment.
2 Biodegradabl Are principally made up of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. They are commonly
e organics measured in terms of BOD and COD. If discharged into inland rivers, streams or
lakes, their biological stabilization can deplete natural oxygen resources and
cause septic conditions that are detrimental to aquatic species.
3 Pathogenic Found in waste water can cause infectious diseases.
organisms
4 Priority Including organic and inorganic compounds, may be highly toxic, carcinogenic,
pollutants and mutagenic.
5 Refractory That tends to resist conventional waste water treatment including surfactants,
organics phenols and agricultural pesticides.
6 Heavy metals Usually added by commercial and industrial activities must be removed for reuse
of waste water.
7 Dissolved Such as calcium, sodium and sulfate are often initially added to domestic water
inorganic supplies and may have to be removed for waste water reuse.
constituents

Source: Adapted from Metcalf and Eddy, Inc., Wastewater engineering, 3 rd edition.

3.0 Pollutant removal mechanism in self purification method:

It is the process whereby the treated/partially treated wastewater or effluent from treatment plants is
discharged either in large static water bodies (such as lake or sea) or in moving water bodies such as
rivers or streams. The discharged wastewater or effluent is purified, in due course of time by the so-called
Self-purification Process of Natural Waters.

 Self purification of Natural Streams:

When the wastewater or the effluent is discharged into a natural stream, the organic matter is converted
into ammonia, nitrates, sulphates, carbon dioxide etc. by bacteria. In this process of oxidation, the
dissolved oxygen content of natural water is utilized. Due to this, deficiency of dissolved oxygen is

Pollutant removal mechanism in natural waste water treatment system Page 2/10
created. As the excess organic matter is stabilized, the normal cycle will be in a process known as Self-
purification, i.e. the dissolved oxygen is replenished by its re-aeration by atmospheric oxygen of wind.

Fig.1. shows Zones of pollution in streams (Oxygen sag analysis)

Mechanism Involved in Self-purification:

I. Dilution:
When wastewater is discharged into the receiving water, dilution takes place due to which the
concentration of organic matter is reduced and the potential nuisance of sewage is also reduced. When the
dilution ratio is quite high, large quantities of DO are available which will accelerate the chances of
purification and reduce pollution effects. Aerobic condition will always exist because of higher dilution.
This will however, not be there if dilution ratio is small, i.e., when large quantities of oxygen demanding
effluent is discharged into a small stream supplementing little oxygen or aeration.

Dilution ratios = Quantity of fresh water flow of the river

Quantity of sewage discharged

Table2: Dilution ratios

Sr Dilution ratio Characteristics of wastewater before dilution
.
no
1 > 500 times Sewage with no treatment.
2 300 – 500 Suspended solids < 150 mg/l Preliminary treatment is a must
3 150 – 300 Suspended solids < 60 mg/l.

II. Dispersion due to Currents:

Self-purification of stream largely depends upon currents, (as rapids, whirlpools, waterfalls and turbulent
flow) which will readily disperse the wastewater in the stream, preventing local accumulation of
pollutants. High velocity accelerates re-aeration and reduces the concentration of pollutants, reduces the
time of recovery, though length of stream affected by the wastewater is increased.

III. Sedimentation:
If the stream velocity is lesser than the scour velocity of particles, sedimentation will take place, which
will have two effects.
(i) The suspended solids, which contribute largely the oxygen demand, will be removed by Settling and
hence water quality of the downstream is improved.
(ii) Due to settled solids, anaerobic decomposition may take place.

Pollutant removal mechanism in natural waste water treatment system Page 3/10
IV. Temperature: At low temperature, the activities of bacteria are low and hence rate of decomposition
will also be slow, though DO will be more because of increased solubility of oxygen in water. At high
temperatures, the self-purification takes lesser time, though the quantity of DO will be less.

V. Sunlight:
Sunlight helps photosynthesis of certain aquatic plants (as algae) to absorb carbon dioxide and give out
oxygen, thus accelerating self-purification. Sunlight acts as a disinfectant.

Zones of Pollution in the Streams: The Self-purification process of a stream polluted by the wastewater or
effluent discharged into it can be divided into the four zones viz. (i) Zone of Degradation (Decomposition
zone) (ii) Zone of Active Decomposition (Septic zone) (iii) Zone of Recovery and (iv) Zone of Clear
Water

4. Land treatment of municipal waste water:

Land treatment is the controlled application of waste-water to the land at rates compatible with the natural
physical, chemical and biological processes that occur on and in the soil. Depending on the rate of water
movement and the flow path within the process, the treatment of waste water by land is classified as
a) Slow rate process(SR),
b) Rapid infiltration process (RI) and
c) Overland flow process (OF).
a) Slow rate process (SR):
Application
of waste
water:
Slow rate
process is
the
controlled
application
of waste
water to a
vegetated
land at a
rate of a
few
centimeters
(2.5 – 10
cm/week)
of liquid
per week.
The flow
path
depends on
infiltration
and usually on lateral flow within the treatment site.
It involves the application of waste-water to vegetated land by means of various techniques, including
sprinkling methods or surface techniques such as graded-border and furrow irrigation. Water is applied
intermittently (every 4 to 10 days) to maintain aerobic conditions in the soil profile. The applied water is
either consumed through evapotranspiration or percolated vertically and horizontally through the soil
system. Any surface runoff is collected and reapplied to the system.

Pollutant removal mechanism in natural waste water treatment system Page 4/10
 Treatment occurs as the wastewater percolates through the
soil profile. In most cases, the percolate will enter the
underlying groundwater, or it may be intercepted by natural
surface waters or recovered by means of under-drains or
recovery wells.

Fig.2 Hydraulic pathway for slow rate (SR) land treatment

Objective of SR process: Treatment of applied waste water, conservation of water through irrigating
landscape area and economic gain from the use of waste water and nutrients to produce marketable crops.

(b) Rapid infiltration (RI) system :

Application of waste water: Rapid infiltration (RI) is the

controlled application of waste water to earthen basins
in rapidly permeable soils (sandy loam, loamy sand and
sand) at high rate hydraulic and organic loadings,
applied intermittently. (see figure 3 ). The RI process
uses the soil matrix for physical, chemical, and
biological treatment. Physical straining and filtering
occur at the soil surface and within the soil matrix.
Chemical precipitation, ion exchange and adsorption
occur as the water percolates through the soil.
Biological oxidation, assimilation and reduction occur
within the top few feet of the soil. Vegetation is not
applied in systems of this kind.
A Cyclic application is a typical mode of operation with
the flooding period followed by drying period to
achieve the aerobic condition.

Objective of RI process: Treatment of applied waste

water, recovery of treated water for subsequent reuse,
repelling salt water intrusion and ground water
recharge.

Fig.3. Hydraulic pathway for rapid infiltration(RI) treatment system.

(c) Overland flow process (OF):

Application of waste water: In this method waste water

is applied over the upper reaches of sloped terrace and
allowed to flow across the vegetated surface to runoff
collection ditches. The waste water is applied
intermittently to the top portion of each terrace gets
treated as it flows down a network of vegetated sloping

Pollutant removal mechanism in natural waste water treatment system Page 5/10
terraces. (See figure4). Application techniques include high-pressure sprinklers, low-pressure sprays, or
surface methods such as gated pipes. OF is normally used with relatively impermeable surface soils,
since, in contrast to SR and RI systems, infiltration through the soil is limited. The effluent waste-water
undergoes a variety of physical, chemical and biological treatment mechanisms as it proceeds along
surface runoff path.

Fig.4 Overland flow process.

Objective of OF process:
i) Overland flow systems can be designed for secondary treatment, advanced secondary treatment or
nutrient removal, depending on user requirements. Grass is planted to provide a habitate for the bacteria
to stabilize the waste water. ii)To produce forage grasses or preserving greenbelts and open spaces.
The technique has considerable potential for treatment of municipal waste water since sodium effects are
less critical because the infiltration rate of soils are less and system produces little or no sludge.

5. Pollutant removal mechanism in SR, RI and OF processes:

The Physical, chemical and biological methods are the pollutant removal mechanism in natural waste
water treatment method is briefed hereunder.

5.1 Physical removal mechanisms:

As the waste water moves through the soil pores, suspended solids are removed by filtration. The depth
at which removal occurs varies with the size of the soil particles, soil texture and rate of water movement.
Excessive suspended solids can clog the soil pores as well as waste water distribution systems. Clogging
of soil will reduce the soil infiltration rate. Natural decomposition of organic solids during non-
application of waste water will allow the infiltration rate to recover. The design hydraulic application rate
should be less than the infiltration rate.

5.2 Chemical removal mechanisms:

Chemical reactions in the soil affect the mobility of dissolved ions or compounds., with the result that
some constituents are retained within the soil profile for extended periods of time while the movement of
others may be only temporarily restricted.

Adsorption and chemical precipitation are the most important chemical reactions governing movement of
constituents in the irrigated wastewater, with cation exchange being the most important adsorption
phenomenon. The cation exchange capacity (CEC) of soil can range from 2 to 60 meq/100 g of soil with
most soils having a CEC value between 10 and 30. The difference occurs because soils vary widely in
their humus and clay content, the components that have the highest CEC e.g. Cation exchange of
ammonium N is possible control mechanism for N.

The relation between the principal cation in waste water (Calcium, magnesium, and K) is of importance.
When the ratio of sodium to other cations, especially calcium and magnesium, becomes too high, the
sodium tends to replace the calcium, magnesium and magnesium ions on clay particle. The predominance
of sodium ions on clay particles has the effect of dispersing the soil particles and decreasing the soil
permeability. To determine the sodium hazard, the sodium adsorption ratio should be no more than 8-10.

SAR(sodium adsorption ratio) = [Na]/[(Ca+Mg)/2]0.5

Where Na, Ca & Mg are concentrations of respective ions in mili equivalents per liter of water
(meq/L). Waste water with high SAR must be pretreated to remove Na. The dispersed clay particles cause
low soil permeability, poor soil aeration, and difficulty in seedling emergence. The level of exchangeable

Pollutant removal mechanism in natural waste water treatment system Page 6/10
sodium percentage (ESP) at which these problems are encountered depends on the soil texture. Fine-
textured soil may be affected at an ESP above 10 percent, but coarse-textured soil may not be damaged
until the ESP reaches about 20 percent.
5.3 Biological removal mechanisms:

The biological transformations that occur in the soil include organic matter decomposition and nutrient
assimilation by plants. These transformations occur in the biologically active upper few centimeters of
soil. i.e. the rooting zone.

Aerobic conditions depends on the soil porosity has the significant effect on the rate and end product
degradation. Soil properties which allow for the rapid infiltration and transmission of waste water also
yield good oxygen movement. Low and intermittent applied wastewater used with SR system normally
results in aerobic conditions. The oxygen at soil surface transfer mechanism is the diffusion which is the
rate limiting step because soil pores are usually smaller and have solids deposits.

As a result of organic matter decomposition, elements such as N, P and S are converted from organic to
inorganic forms. Many of these mineralized constituents can be assimilated by plants. Crops are essential
parts of SR and OF processes.

The biological nitrification processes in the soil produce nitrate from ammonia and organic N under
aerobic conditions. However, nitrate compounds can be reduced into N gas under anoxic conditions as a
result of de-nitrification. It is possible to consider both gaseous N losses (Volatilization and de
nitrification) and N removal by plant uptake as control mechanisms for N in the applied wastewater. Plant
uptake of N is in the range of 100 – 400 KG/ha per growing season, depending upon specific crop and
management techniques. Eg. Soya beans and costal Bermuda grass can uptake the N 250, 400 Kg/ (ha-
year). The important processes involved in N removal from wastewater applied to the land area are
ammonia vitalization, crop uptake and removal, soil adsorption of ammonia, incorporation into soil as the
soil organic fraction and de nitrification.

The factors that favour de nitrification in the soil are: High organic matter, fine textured soil, frequent
wetting or high ground water table, neutral to slightly alkaline pH, vegetative cover and warm
temperature. De nitrification losses of N range up to 50 %, depending upon how the land disposal site is
managed. A conservative estimate would be to assume de nitrification and vitalization losses to be 20-30
% of applied N. (Broadbent et al., 1977)

Table 5: Mechanisms of waste water constituent removal by of systems

SR PARAMETER REMOVAL MECHANISM SR RI OF
NO SYSTE SYSTEM SYSTEM
M
1 BOD Soil adsorption and bacterial oxidation. √ √ 95 %
2 SS Filtration through the soil. √ √ 95%
3 Nitrogen Crop uptake, dentrification, ammonia
√ 50% 70-90%
volatilization, soil storage
4 Phosphorus Chemical immobilization, (precipitation
√ 70-95% 50-60%
and adsorption), plant uptake.
5 Metals Soil adsorption, precipitation, ion
√ X X
exchange, complaxation.
6 Pathogens Soil filtration, adsorption, dessication,
radiation, predation, exposure to other √ X X
environmental factors.
7 Trace Photodecomposation, volatilization, √ X X

Pollutant removal mechanism in natural waste water treatment system Page 7/10
 Organics sorption, degradation.
Source: Reed, Middlebrooks and crites, Natural systems.
5.4 Biochemical Oxygen Demand
All land treatment concepts are very efficient at removal of biodegradable organics, typically
characterized as biochemical oxygen demand (BOD 5). Removal mechanisms include filtration,
adsorption, and biological reduction and oxidation. Most of the responses in slow rate (SR) and rapid
infiltration process (RI) occur at the ground surface or in the near surface soils where microbial activity is
most intense. Part of the reason for the intermittent or cyclic wastewater applications on these systems is
to allow the restoration of aerobic conditions in the soil profile, and infiltration capacity at the soil
surface. Essentially all of the responses in overland flow (OF) occur at the soil surface or in the mat of
plant litter and microbial material. Settling of most particulate matter occurs rapidly in OF systems as the
applied wastewater flows in a thin film down the slope. Algae removal is an exception, since the
detention time on the slope is not usually sufficient to permit complete removal by physical settling. The
biological growths and slimes which develop on the OF slope are primarily responsible for ultimate
pollutant removal. These growths are similar to those found in other fixed film processes (i.e., trickling
filters, RBCs, etc.), and the presence of adjacent aerobic and anaerobic zones or micro sites within the
slime layer is to be expected. In a properly managed system, with acceptable loadings, the aerobic zones
dominate. However, there are still numerous anaerobic sites which contribute to the breakdown of the
more refractory organics and to nitrogen removal via de-nitrification. The application of high strength or
high-solids content wastewaters usually requires sprinklers for more uniform distribution on the upper
third of the slope. Since the basic treatment mechanism is biological, all three systems have a continually
renewable capacity for BOD 5 removal as long as the loading rate and cycle allows for preservation and/or
restoration of aerobic conditions in the system.

5.5 Total Suspended Solids

Slow rate and rapid infiltration systems are very effective for removal of suspended solids. Filtration in
the soil profile is the principal removal mechanism. Overland flow systems depend on sedimentation and
entrapment in the vegetative litter or on the biological slimes. OF system is typically less efficient than
SR or RI. However, OF systems can provide better than secondary effluent quality for total suspended
solids (TSS) when either screened raw sewage or primary effluent is applied.
Most of the suspended solids in municipal effluents are degradable organics in concentrations ranging
from 30 to about 350 mg/L depending on the degree of treatment provided prior to land application.
These suspended solids are a component in the total organic loading. Experience with full-scale operating
systems indicates the best performance with the least possible degree of pre application treatment. The
solids from screened raw sewage or primary treatment are more easily separated and oxidized than the
more refractory solids in secondary effluents or algal-laden lagoon effluents.

5.6 Nitrogen removal:

Soil responses
The soil plant system provides a number of interrelated responses to wastewater nitrogen. The organic N
fraction usually associated with particulate matter is entrapped or filtered out of the applied liquid stream.
The ammonia fraction can be lost by volatilization, taken up by the crop, or adsorbed by the clay minerals
in the soil. The latter is a renewable process since the soil microbes oxidize the retained ammonium to
nitrate and restore the adsorptive capacity of the soil. Nitrate can be taken up by the vegetation or
converted to nitrogen gas via de-nitrification in anaerobic zones and lost to the atmosphere. The
decomposition of the organic nitrogen contained in the particulate matter proceeds more slowly. This
aspect is more critical for sludge and bio-solids application systems where the solids fraction is a very
significant part of the total application. As the organic solids decompose, the contained organic nitrogen
is mineralized and released as ammonia. This is not a major concern for most wastewater land treatment
systems with the exception of those systems receiving facultative lagoon effluent containing significant
concentrations of algae. The nitrogen content of the algae must be considered in project design, because it

Pollutant removal mechanism in natural waste water treatment system Page 8/10
can represent a significant ammonia load on the system. Nitrification is very effective in all three of the
basic land treatment concepts as long as the necessary aerobic status is maintained or periodically
restored. Under favorable conditions (i.e., sufficient alkalinity, suitable temperatures, etc.) nitrifica tion
ranging from 5 to 50 mg/(L.day) is possible. Assuming that these reactions are occurring with the
adsorbed ammonia ions in the top 10 centimeter of a fine-textured soil up to 270kg of ammonia nitrogen
per acre can be converted to nitrate each day. At a typical wastewater concentration of 20 mg/L up to 30
cm of wastewater could be applied each day if the soil could be maintained in an aerobic condition.
The maintenance and/or restoration of the necessary aerobic conditions are the reason for the short
application periods and cyclic operations typically used in land treatment systems. In RI systems, for
example, the ammonia adsorption sites are saturated with ammonium during the early part of the
application cycle. The aerobic conditions are restored as the system drains during the rest period, and the
soil microbes convert the adsorbed ammonium to nitrate. At the next application cycle ammonium
adsorption sites are again available and much of the nitrate is denitrified as anaerobic conditions develop.
Denitrifying bacteria are common soil organisms, and the occurrence of anaerobic conditions, at least at
micro sites, can be expected at both SR and OF systems as well as RI. Nitrification is a conversion
process, not a removal process for nitrogen. De-nitrification, volatilization, and crop uptake are the only
true removal pathways available. Crop uptake is the major pathway considered in the design of most slow
rate systems, but the contribution from de-nitrification and volatilization can be significant depending on
site conditions and wastewater type. In RI, ammonia adsorption on the soil particles followed by
nitrification typically occurs, but de-nitrification is the only important actual removal mechanism. For
OF, crop uptake, volatilization, and de-nitrification can all contribute to nitrogen removal.

5.7 Phosphorus
Phosphorus is present in municipal wastewater as orthophosphate, polyphosphate, and organic
phosphates. The orthophosphates are immediately available for biological reactions in soil ecosystems.
The necessary hydrolysis of the polyphosphates proceeds very slowly in typical soils, so these forms are
not as readily available. Municipal wastewaters do not contain fraction of organic phosphorus.

Phosphorus removal in land treatment systems can occur through plant uptake, biological, chemical,
and/or physical processes. Phosphorus removal in the soil depends to a significant degree on chemical
reactions which are not necessarily renewable. As a result, the retention capacity for phosphorus will be
gradually reduced over time, but not exhausted. At a typical SR system, for example, it has been
estimated that a 30 cm depth of soil may become saturated with phosphorus every 10 years. The removal
of phosphorus will be almost complete during the removal period. Percolate phosphorus should not be a
problem until the entire design soil profile is utilized.

Crop uptake contributes to phosphorus removal at SR systems, but the major removal pathway in both SR
and RI systems is in the soil. The phosphorus is removed by adsorption-precipitation reactions when clay,
oxides of iron and aluminum, and calcareous substances are present. The phosphorus removal increases
with increasing clay content and with increasing contact time in the soil.

5.8 Pathogenes :
The pathogens of concern in land treatment systems are parasites, bacteria, and virus. The pathways, or
vectors, of concern are to groundwater, contamination of crops, translocation or ingestion by grazing
animals, and off-site transmission via aerosols or runoff. The removal of pathogens in land treatment
systems is accomplished by adsorption, desiccation, radiation, filtration, predation, and exposure to other
adverse conditions. The SR process is the most effective, removing about five logs (10 5) of fecal
coliforms within a depth of a few feet. The RI process typically can remove two to three logs of fecal
coliforms within several feet of travel, and the OF process can remove about 90 percent of the applied
fecal coliforms. Ref 4 also confirms the pathogens removal in constructed soil biofilter.

Pollutant removal mechanism in natural waste water treatment system Page 9/10
Summary: Natural waste water treatment methods shows the potential of wastewater treatment and talks
about only the soil matrix dependency. With the improvements and better understanding in soil
biotechnology and kinetics of reactions, efforts should be taken to identify the useful microbes and
accelerate their growth for the faster degradation of organic matter and nitrogen removal rate by
nitrification and de nitrification processes etc. Infiltration rate can be improved by adopting appropriate
soil texture and at the same time enhancing the adsorption process so that this natural method can be
adopted universally without restricting them to soil condition, slope of terrain.

Referneces:

1) Metcalf and Eddy, Inc., “Wastewater engineering”, 3rd edition.

2) S.C. Reed, E.J. Middlebrooks and R.W. Crites, “Natural Systems for Waste Management and
Treatment” (New York:McGraw-Hill, 1988);
3) Chongrak polprasert, 1996. Organic waste recycling. 305-353.
4) Avinash M. Kadam, Goldie H. Oza, Pravin D. Nemade, Hariharan S. Shankar Chemical
Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076,
India, “Pathogen removal from municipal wastewater in Constructed Soil Filter”.
5) waste-water treatment technologies:a general review, United Nations New York, 2003

Pollutant removal mechanism in natural waste water treatment system Page 10/10