Biological Treatment Practice of Dairy Wastewater to Protect the Habitat of Proteus Anguinus
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55707/eb.v12i2.150Keywords:
Proteus anguinus, wastewater, dairy industry , biological treatment, SloveniaAbstract
Slovenia is one of the few countries where the olm (Proteus anguinus) lives, with its habitat largely located within the Natura 2000 area. In this environment operates the Krepko dairy, which, in accordance with national legislation, must treat its wastewater before discharge. Due to the sensitivity of the P. anguinus habitat, the dairy’s treatment plant includes three stages: primary, secondary, and tertiary. The key stage is the secondary, biological treatment, which takes place in a sequencing batch reactor with activated sludge and enables the removal of ammonia and nitrate. To improve denitrification efficiency at low temperatures, ferric chloride is added as a nutrient source for microorganisms. The quality of treatment is evaluated based on ammonia concentration, biomass settling, and measurements of chemical oxygen demand and nitrogen content. Results show that the addition of ferric chloride stimulates microbial growth, accelerates denitrification, and improves water quality parameters, thus contributing positively to the protection of the P. anguinus habitat.
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