Technological and economical potential of biological filter bed used in treatment of livestock wastewater

A technological and economical comparison between the biological filter bed and the traditional aerated biological oxidation process was carried out. The result showed that biological filter bed was quite effective in treating livestock wastewater. Because the average effluent COD is 120mg／L, which is obviously better than the 400mg／L wtint required in “discharge standard of pollutants for livestock and poultry breeding”. Furthermore, the biological filter bed was automated, and could save 45% of the cost for construction,and86% of energy consuming. The cost of wastewater treatment was only 0.22RMB yuan per ton. The technological and economical analysis indicates that biological filter bed is an efficient, stable, low cost and novel process, and is a prospective substitution for traditional aerated biological oxidation process for treatment of livestock wastewater.