Scientific African (Sep 2024)
Improved greywater quality after biofiltration with a fibre-biofilter derived from plantain pseudo stem
Abstract
In this study, we addressed the prevalent issue of untreated greywater discharge into waterbodies in many developing countries, despite the associated public health risks. Our approach involved utilizing fibers extracted from plantain pseudo-stems to enhance the quality of greywater through simple biofiltration setups. Greywater sourced from the GETFund Hostel of the University of Energy and Natural Resources in Sunyani, Ghana, served as the focal point of our investigation. Through the application of this biofilter, we achieved notable reductions in two crucial parameters for assessing greywater quality: biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD), averaging at 30.4 % and 28.67 %, respectively. Furthermore, we conducted comparative analyses between the efficacy of plantain pseudo-stem fibers and carbonized coconut shell adsorbent, both individually and in composite form as biosorbents. While certain combinations of biofilters led to slight increases in conductivity, pH, and total dissolved solids (TDS) in the treated greywater, these variations were anticipated and attributed to potential organic matter leaching during the biofiltration process. Employing Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, we detected significant spectral changes indicative of successful organic matter removal from the greywater. Specifically, we observed an intensified phenolic hydroxyl (OH) peak at 3300 cm⁻¹, which shifted marginally to 3335 cm⁻¹ post-biofiltration. Additionally, the emergence of a carboxylic hydroxyl stretch at 2850 cm⁻¹ post-biofiltration provided strong evidence supporting the efficacy of our approach in mitigating organic contaminants in greywater.
