Sludge age levels in organic and solids load reduction in a wastewater treatment plant
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55873/ravgs.v2i2.406Keywords:
organic load, removal, wastewater treatment, extended aeration, TSS, BOD₅, CODAbstract
Optimizing cell retention time in activated sludge systems is a key technical and environmental challenge for improving wastewater treatment efficiency in Peru and globally. To this end, the objective was to determine the influence of sludge age management on organic load removal efficiency (TRS), measured by Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD₅), Chemical Oxygen Demand, and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) at the Pachacútec Wastewater Treatment Plant, hereafter referred to as PTAR Pachacútec, located in the Ventanilla district, Callao. The study was applied, quantitative, experimental, and hypothetical-deductive, through 120 observations under four cell retention time conditions: low (8-12 days), medium (19-21 days), high (25 days), and control (20 days). The results showed highly significant differences (p < 0.001), with the highest sludge age being the most efficient (BOD₅: 82.11%, COD: 74.10%), with a very strong positive correlation (ρ > 0.92). It is concluded that optimized sludge age management is an effective strategy for improving WWTP efficiency in coastal urban settings.
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