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The Effects of Hydraulic and Organic Loadings on the Performance of a Full-Scale Facultative Pond in a Temperate Climate Region (Argentine Patagonia)

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Abstract

This work focuses on the performance of a primary facultative pond, in a full-scale waste stabilization pond system, located in a temperate climate region (average air temperature in winter, 7.7°C; spring and autumn, 14.0°C; and summer, 19.9°C) in Puerto Madryn city—Argentine Patagonia (42°45′S; 65°05′W). Experimental work was conducted for 43 months in seven sampling points. During the experimental time frame, the influent flow rate increased from 12,000 to 15,500 m3/day; the surface organic loading ranged from 55 to 68 kg BOD5/ha·day and the theoretical retention time decreased from 31 to 24 days. The results indicate that a primary facultative pond performing in this region, to keep predominant facultative conditions and acceptable filtered biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) removal, should be loaded with an organic loading rate of up to 60 kg BOD5/ha·day. The flow and organic loading increase affected the ammonium removal process, extending the period time in which ammonium removal was less than 50% and nitrate was not detectable; at first, this period occurred during winter strictly and then covered part of autumn and part of spring, too. Ammonium removal was clearly temperature dependent and directly related to chlorophyll a and nitrate concentrations (i.e. higher ammonia removals were reported under summer conditions when chlorophyll a and nitrate concentrations were higher), but was not linked with high pH values. The ammonium volatilization as a predominant removal process could be discarded, while ammonium nitrification–denitrification and algal nitrogen uptake seems to be the dominant mechanisms.

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Acknowledgements

We especially thank Lic. Maria José Esteves and Tech. Hugo Fuhr from the Municipality of Puerto Madryn and the Public Services Cooperative (SERVICOOP), respectively. These institutions also provided financial support to this work, and we are grateful for their contributions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro Nacional Patagónico (CENPAT-CONICET), Bv. Brown 2915, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina, U9120ACF

    M. Faleschini & J. L. Esteves

  2. Pathogen Control Engineering Institute (PaCE), School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK, LS2 9JT

    M. A. Camargo Valero

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  1. M. Faleschini
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  2. J. L. Esteves
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  3. M. A. Camargo Valero
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Correspondence to M. Faleschini.

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Faleschini, M., Esteves, J.L. & Camargo Valero, M.A. The Effects of Hydraulic and Organic Loadings on the Performance of a Full-Scale Facultative Pond in a Temperate Climate Region (Argentine Patagonia). Water Air Soil Pollut 223, 2483–2493 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-011-1041-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-011-1041-0

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