The Efficiency of Anaerobic Digesters on Microbial Quality of Sludge in Isfahan and Shahinshahr Waterwaste Treatment Plant

Anaerobic digestion is among the oldest processes used for stabilization of solid and biosolids. In this survey 12 samples were taken from the digested anaerobic sludge of Isfahan and ShahinShahr WWTP and total solids, volatile solids, total coliform, fecal coliform, Salmonella and viable parasite ova tests were done. Results were compared with the 503 sections of the 40 CFR regulation of the US EPA The result showed that the average reduction rate was 30% for volatile solids, 4.5x107 MPN/g. dry solids (DS) for total coliform, 5.6x106MPN/g.DS for fecal coliform, 24MPN/4g.DS for Salmonella, and 27 number/4g.DS for viable parasite ova of digested anaerobic sludge in Isfahan. In Shahinshahr WWTP, the average of reduction was 39% in volatile solids, 2.13x 107MPN /g.DS in total coliform, 1.16x106 MPN /g.DS in fecal coliform, 11 MPN/4g.DS in Salmonella and 16 number/4g.DS for viable parasite ova of digested anaerobic sludge. Therefore the digested sludge in Isfahan did not meet the requirements of pathogen reduction in class A and B as well as the reduction requirements for vector attraction, while the digested sludge in ShahinShahr met the requirements of pathogen reduction in class B and vector attraction. So, agricultural use of digested sludge should be made by limiting the kind of crops as well as controlling the harvesting time. The results from the two anaerobic digesters of Isfahan and Shahin Shahr showed that there was a significance correlation between the reduction of volatile solids with total coliform, fecal coliform and Salmonella (P0.9), while there was no significance correlation between the reduction of volatile solids and viable parasite ova.