COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY WASTE STABILIZATION POND AND A CONSTRUCTED WETLAND

📄 Project Abstract

The efficiencies of organic pollutants and heavy metal removal from the wastewater of Ahmadu Bello University, (ABU), Zaria by ABU waste stabilization pond and horizontal flow sub-surface constructed wetland were evaluated and compared at seven (7) days hydraulic retention time for a period of ten (10) weeks. A constructed wetland with dimensions 14m x 3.5m x 0.45m, lined with geomembrane of polyethylene to prevent percolation of wastewater into the groundwater and filled with gravel 10-15mm size to the depth of 0.2m at the bottom, followed by sand layer 0.3-0.5mm size to the depth of 0.20m depth and 0.05m local soil was used. Influent wastewater was provided from elevated storage tank of 3000 litres to the constructed wetland through pipe network. The effluents from the wetland and waste stabilization pond of ABU were sampled for analysis. The constructed wetland was able to remove considerable amounts of the heavy metals in the wastewater of ABU. These heavy metals otherwise would ha...