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<International Source Book On Environmentally Sound Technologies
for Wastewater and Stormwater Management>

5.1 Stabilisation

Faecal sludge collected from bucket or vault latrines has a very high biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and is generally putrid and odorous. Primary and secondary sludges from an activated sludge treatment plant also have a high BOD and may be difficult to dewater. Even sludge from a septic tank, which has undergone bacterial decomposition over at least a year, still has a high BOD. Stabilisation is the term used to denote the process of BOD reduction. The stabilisation process can be carried out under aerobic or anaerobic conditions. The corresponding bacterial processes are described in Section 2 (2.3).

Aerobic stabilisation of primary and secondary sludges can be carried out in an aeration tank in the same manner as in an activated sludge process. Because of the high oxygen requirement this process is energy intensive and costs are high. Aerobic stabilisation requires less energy when carried out as part of a composting process. For composting of sludge, its solids content should be increased to at least 15 % so that it can be handled as a solid. Thickening and dewatering (see below) of primary and secondary sludges are required to achieve the required solids content. Faecal sludge may contain high enough solids. Mixing with dry materials such as dry saw dust may assist with achieving the required solids content as well attaining the required carbon to nitrogen ratio for composting.

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