Implementation of Biofilters with Earthworms as a Sustainable Alternative for Wastewater Treatment in Slaughterhouses
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Abstract
Water pollution caused by wastewater from slaughterhouses is an environmental problem that affects public health and ecosystems, especially in areas with limited resources for conventional treatment systems. This research evaluated the efficiency of a worm biofilter using red Californian earthworms (Eisenia foetida) to treat wastewater from the Municipal Slaughterhouse of Pelileo, Ecuador. A biofilter was designed and constructed with layers of ball stone, gravel, and sand, complemented by a filtering bed of sawdust, shavings, and humus inhabited by worms adapted to the wastewater. Over three weeks, physicochemical parameters such as pH, conductivity, color, turbidity, nitrogen in forms of nitrites and nitrates, phosphates, chemical and biochemical oxygen demand (COD and BOD5), as well as total and dissolved solids, were analyzed before and after treatment. The results showed a significant reduction of these contaminants, achieving an average removal efficiency of 74.87%, with peaks of up to 95% in some parameters. The biofilter operated effectively without producing sludge and with low maintenance costs. Additionally, the treated water met the maximum permissible limits established by current environmental regulations, validating the system as a sustainable and economical alternative. It is concluded that the worm biofilter is a viable solution for treating slaughterhouse wastewater, with recommendations for its optimization to expand its application to other industries with high organic loads.
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