Asian Journal of Research in Chemistry
  • Year: 2023
  • Volume: 16
  • Issue: 1

Performance evaluation of Mentha longifolia plant for domestic waste water treatment under arid climate conditions (Tamanrasset region, Algeria)

  • Author:
  • Abdelaziz Bouhoreira1,*, Benzahi Khedidja2, Brahim Labed3, Zorai Ameur4, Serraoui Mabrouk5, Sabrina Batoul Benachoura6, Benzahi Rabia7
  • Total Page Count: 8
  • Published Online: Oct 11, 2023
  • Page Number: 31 to 38

1Department of Process Engineering, Faculty of Technology, University of El Oued, 39000, Algeria

2Laboratory of Water and Environmental Engineering in the Saharan Region, Ecole Normal Supérieure, University of Kasdi Merbah, Ouargla, PO Box 511, 30000, Algeria

3Laboratory of Water and Environmental Engineering in the Saharan Region, Ecole Normale Supérieure, University of Kasdi MerbahOuargla, PO Box 511, 30000, Algeria

4Laboratory of Water and Environmental Engineering in the Saharan Region, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Department: Civil and Hydraulic Engineering, University of Kasdi Merbah, Ouargla, PO Box 511, 30000, Algeria

5Laboratory of Water and Environmental Engineering in the Saharan Region, University of Kasdi Merbah, Ouargla, PO Box 511, 30000, Algeria

6Laboratory of Sciences & Environment, University of Tamanghasset, Algeria

7Laboratory for the Protection of Ecosystems in Arid and Semi-Arid Zones, Department of Technical Sciences, University of Kasdi MerbahB.P. 511, Ouargla30000, Algeria

*Corresponding Author E-mail: bouhoreira-abdelaziz@univ-eloued.dz, abdealazizb@gmail.com

Online Published on 12 October, 2023.

Abstract

The objective of this work is to highlight the purification performance of the Mentha longifolia plant for wastewater under a horizontal flow regime and a hot and dry (arid) climate. In this research, we made a comparison between a planted bed of Mentha longifolia and a non-planted bed (control) as well as the study of the performance of the Mentha longifolia to purify the wastewater. The study is carried out according to an experimental pilot in the urban wastewater treatment zone within the National Sanitation Office (NSO) in Tamanghasset. The experimental pilot consists of pots of capacity 130 liters filled from bottom to top on a thickness of 45 cm of gravel (15 / 25mm) of 10 cm of sand. The pot is planted with young stems of Mentha longifolia (36 stems / m2) and the other non-planted pot is taken as a control. The pots are fed by urban wastewater (18 liters / day), once a week. The water obtained after 5 days is collected in a container located under the pot. The performance information shown is for the periods from the month of January - April 2021. After four months of follow –up, we obtained the pollutant removal results with the following percentages: COD (77.74%), BOD5 (72.47%), MES (87.78%), NO3-(63.40%), NO2- (62.03%), PO43- (62.77%), E. coli (99.43%). The existence of the plant Mentha longifolia in planted beds maintains a sufficient porosity that prevents clogging. The significant reduction of pollutants and pathogenic microorganisms allows us to consider the reuse of treated water in agriculture and industry.

Keywords

Arid climate, Wastewater treatment, Mentha longifolia, Water pollution, Tamanghasset