Abstract
With rapid urbanization sweeping through emerging nations, such as India, there has been a substantial increase in wastewater production, which poses a significant challenge in terms of its treatment and sustainable use. Conventional wastewater treatment methods, including the moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR), up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB), membrane bioreactor (MBR), activated sludge process (ASP), sequencing batch reactors (SBR), and others, have demonstrated their effectiveness but come at a considerable cost. As these systems age, their operational and maintenance expenses escalate, rendering them less practical and sustainable. Despite the establishment of numerous wastewater treatment plants aimed at adhering to the regulations set forth by the Central Pollution Control Board of India (CPCB), high operating and maintenance costs have resulted in the abandonment of many of these facilities. There is a persistent need for sustainable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly wastewater management technology to address this pressing issue. A solid immobilised biofilter (SIBF) system is currently under research as a potential solution because of its natural, cost-efficient, and sustainable characteristics. This study engages in a compelling comparative case study of two hospitals in Maharashtra, India. This contrasts the conventional wastewater treatment method (MBBR) with the natural treatment approach (SIBF). This study utilizes a 30-year life cycle cost analysis approach, which distinctly reveals that the MBBR system carries a higher life cycle cost. In contrast, the SIBF system has significantly lower costs because of its reduced energy consumption and operational costs. Four laboratory tests, namely biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, and pH, were used to evaluate the quality of the treated wastewater. This research makes a significant contribution to the field of cost-effective wastewater management solutions by evaluating the feasibility of system implementation.
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(Source: CPCB Report, March 2021)
(Source: CPCB Report, March 2021)
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Minde, P., Patil, J., Patil, M. et al. Exploring sustainable and cost-effective wastewater management solutions for urban India through life cycle cost analysis: a case study approach. Water Air Soil Pollut 235, 335 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-024-07123-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-024-07123-3