EPA-600/2-76-302
December 1976
Environmental Protection Technology Series
TREATMENT OF HIGH STRENGTH MEATPACKING
PLANT WASTEWATER BY LAND APPLICATION
Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Laboratory
Office of Research and Development
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Ada, Oklahoma 74820
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RESEARCH REPORTING SERIES
Research reports of the Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, have been grouped into five series. These five broad
categories were established to facilitate further development and application of
environmental technology. Elimination of traditional grouping was consciously
planned to foster technology transfer and a maximum interface in related fields.
The five series are:
1. Environmental Health Effects Research
2. Environmental Protection Technology
3. Ecological Research
4. Environmental Monitoring
5. Socioeconomic Environmental Studies
This report has been assigned to the ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
TECHNOLOGY series. This series describes research performed to develop and
demonstrate instrumentation, equipment, and methodology to repair or prevent
environmental degradation from point and non-point sources of pollution. This
work provides the new or improved technology required for the control and
treatment of pollution sources to meet environmental quality standards.
This document is available to the public through the National Technical Informa-
tion Service, Springfield, Virginia 22161.
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EPA-600/2-76-302
December 1976
TREATMENT OF HIGH STRENGTH MEATPACKING
PLANT WASTEWATER BY LAND APPLICATION
By
Anthony J. Tarquin
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, Texas 79968
Grant No. 801028
Project Officer
Richard E. Thomas
Wastewater Management Branch
Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Laboratory
Ada, Oklahoma 74820
ROBERT S. KERR ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LABORATORY
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
ADA, OKLAHOMA 74820
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DISCLAIMER
This report has been reviewed by the Robert S. Kerr Environmental
Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and approved
for publication. Approval does not signify that the contents necessarily
reflect the views and policies of the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute
endorsement or recommendation for use.
ii
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ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to determine the treatability of high
strength meatpacking plant wastewater by land application. Both infil-
tration and overland flow type systems were studied at various hydraulic
and organic loading rates. In addition to characterization of the raw
and treated wastewater, laboratory and field studies were conducted in
order to find one or more grasses which would be suitable for soil cover.
Related investigations were also made regarding aerosol drift during
high pressure and low pressure distribution, wastewater characterization
from unit processes within the meatpacking plant, and chemical treat-
ability of unit wastes using ferric chloride.
Using a raw wastewater which had a COD of 9,400 mg/1, the results showed
that both types of land application systems performed well with respect
to COD removal, with an efficiency of 99% at a 10 cm/week rate for the
infiltration system and 84% at a 12.5 cm/week rate for overland flow.
Both systems were less efficient with respect to nitrogen removal,
averaging 58% and 44% for the infiltration and overland systems respec-
tively. Two warm season grasses (Bermuda NK-37 and Blue Panicum) and
two cool season grasses (Kentucky-31 Tall Fescue and Jose Wheatgrass)
were shown to grow very well when irrigated with the meatpacking plant
wastewater.
iii
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CONTENTS
Page
Abstract ill
Acknowledgements vi
Sections
I Conclusions 1
II Recommendations 2
III Introduction 3
IV Background 5
V Procedures and Design 8
VI Results and Discussion 18
VII Discussion of Related Theses 33
VIII Summary 39
IX References 41
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The personnel at Peyton Packing Company are acknowledged for their
cooperation throughout the study period, particularly Mr. Don Reynolds,
the Plant Supervisor, and Mr. George Martinez, the Maintenance Foreman.
Thanks is also extended to Mr. Horst Hagemann of the Mechanical Engineer-
ing Department for his excellent machine work and allowing the continued
use of the machine shop. Finally, Mrs. Anne Childress is acknowledged
for typing this report and providing valuable clerical and bookkeeping
assistance.
vi
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SECTION I
CONCLUSIONS
* Meatpacking plant wastewater is amenable to treatment by land appli-
cation using either infiltration or overland flow systems.
* Several types of grasses grow well when irrigated with meatpacking
plant wastewater, including Bermuda NK-37, Kentucky-31 Tall Fescue, Jose
Wheatgrass, and Blue Panicum.
* High concentrations of grease can be removed from meatpacking plant
wastewater by infiltration-type land application systems.
* Low pressure wastewater distribution systems reduce aerosol drift
considerably compared to high-pressure systems.
* Overall treatment efficiency could be improved by increasing the
length of the overland-flow system beyond 62 meters for strong meat-
packing plant wastewater.
* The high nitrogen concentration present in most meatpacking plant
wastewater minimizes the possibility of achieving high percentage
nitrogen removals without extremely close control of the treatment
system.
* Several factors which are peculiar to meatpacking wastewater must be
taken into consideration when planning and designing land application
systems.
* The southwestern United States, with its arid climate, mild winters,
and vast available land areas, presents ideal conditions for land
application treatment systems.
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SECTION II
RECOMMENDATIONS
* Full-scale demonstrations should be conducted for both infiltration
and overland-flow systems using medium and low strength meatpacking
plant wastewaters.
* Because of the high concentration of nitrogen in meatpacking plant
effluents, more studies should be conducted to determine the fate of
the nitrogen compounds originally present.
* The feasibility of segregation or separate treatment of high strength
wastes generated within the packing plants should be investigated.
* Other treatment processes should be studied in combination with land
application in order to achieve the most efficient overall treatment
at the lowest equivalent uniform annual cost.
* More research should be conducted on a pilot scale for modelling the
overland flow treatment process in order to maximize efficient land
usage and minimize overall costs.
* Additional low cost, low pressure, distribution systems, i.e., less
than 1.4 kgs/sq cm (20 psi) should be developed for infiltration type
treatment systems.
* The extent of danger presented by pathogenic bacteria which may be
present in the wastewater should be investigated.
* The palatability and wholesomeness to the animals of the grasses
grown in the treatment system should be studied so that the grasses
can be sold, thereby generating revenues which reduce the cost of the
treatment systems.
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SECTION III
INTRODUCTION
The application of municipal and industrial wastewaters to land for
treatment and/or disposal is not new. A textbook on wastewater treat-
ment which was published in 1903 contained complete chapters on sewage
irrigation and sewage farming (1). The land application method of waste-
water treatment has been demonstrated not only in the United States, but
in many foreign countries as well. Liquid wastes with a wide spectrum
of physical and chemical characteristics have been treated successfully
by soil application, including municipal sewage, cannery wastes, pulp and
paper mill wastes, dairy wastes, vegetable and food processing wastes,
wood distillation wastes, poultry wastes, and many others (2,3).
With the constant annual increase in per capita consumption of beef and
meat products, the need for technological advances in the treatment of
meat packing wastes has never been greater.
In 1967, the potential daily Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) from the
slaughterhouse and meat packing industry was estimated at 2.17 million
pounds or a population equivalent of 13 million people (4). The U.S.
Department of Agriculture places the meatpacking industry second to only
the Pulp and Paper Industry in terms of potential five day BOD pollution.
In the food and kindred products industry, meatpacking ranks first in
daily pollutional discharge.
Interest in the land application method of wastewater treatment for
meatpacking plant wastes has been stimulated by recent federal regula-
tions requiring .a greater degree of wastewater treatment. Of particular
importance in this regard is the increased emphasis that is being placed
on residual carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous removal. Some land applica-
tion systems have effectively removed almost all of the carbon and phos-
phorous and, under controlled operating conditions, a large percentage
of the nitrogen. In addition to the high degree of waste treatment
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which is achieved, of course, some of the valuable plant nutrients are
recovered in the process. The purpose of this report is to present the
experiences gained during pilot scale treatment of meatpacking plant
wastewater by land application.
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SECTION IV
BACKGROUND
WEATHER
Although a high degree of treatment can be expected for most climatic
and soil conditions with a properly designed and operated system, the
arid southwest is particularly adapted to wastewater treatment by soil
application. The climate in the El Paso area is arid subtropical, char-
acterized by an abundance of sunshine throughout the year, high summer
temperaturesj low humidity, scanty rainfall, and a cool winter season.
Rainfall throughout the year is light, with an annual mean of 20 cms.
Dry periods of several months' duration without appreciable amounts of
rainfall are not uncommon, with more than half of the precipitation occur-
ring in the summer months from brief, but at times heavy thunderstorms (5).
Daytime summer temperatures are high, frequently above 90°F and occasion-
ally above 100°F, but summer nights are usually cool, with minimum tem-
peratures in the sixties. Winter daytime temperatures are mild, rising
to 55 to 60°F on the average. At night they drop to the twenties and
thirties and only rarely go below 15°F. The arid climate causes a
rather high evaporation rate, with a class A pan evaporation rate of
267 cms per year and a mean annual lake evaporation rate of 183 cms.
STUDY SITE DATA
The Peyton slaughterhouse-meatpacking plant is located in the southeast
El Paso Valley in a predominantly agricultural area. The company owns
9 hectares of land, with the plant and parking lot occupying 1 hectare
and the remaining 8 planted in river-irrigated alfalfa at the time this
project was begun. During the time this study was conducted, the company
slaughtered about 425 head of cattle per day and imported about 400 head
of dressed swine per day. At the present time, however, the company has
a 16-hour kill which nearly doubles the previous daily processing rate. A
variety of meat products are made and packaged at the plant, including.
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bacon, hot dogs, balony, hams and full lines of sausage and smoked meat.
In spite of the many by-product recovery processes employed in the plant,
the wastewater discharge is very strong and quite typical of wastes gen-
erated by slaughterhouse-meat packing plants (6), as will be described in
the wastewater characterization section below.
SOIL TYPE
The soil surrounding the packing plant has been classified by the U.S.
Soil Conservation Service as follows:
Soil Depth, cm
0-20
20 - 180 +
% Clay
22.6
2.9
% Silt
25.7
6.2
% Sand
51.7
90.0
USDA
Texture
Sandy clay loam
Fine sand
Although samples were not taken below 3 meters, the U.S. Soil Conservation
Service indicated that unless thin layers of clay intrusions were present,
the soil from 3 meters down would probably fit the fine sand classifica-
tion.
GROUND WATER
The ground water level in the vicinity of the packing plant is located at
about 2.5 meters from the ground surface. This relatively high TDS
groundwater is used to supplement river water from the Rio Grande for
irrigation during periods of low-water allotments. The values shown in
Table 2 are representative of the average chemical composition of the
ground water (7):
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Table 2 - Ground Water Characteristics
Parameter Concentration
pH 7.6
total solids 3,200 mg/1
Cl 720 mg/1
S04 1,080 mg/1
HC03 452 mg/1
Hardness 705 mg/1
Ca 187 mg/1
Although the quality of the shallow ground water varies slightly from
one area to the next as well as with time, the general quality of the
water is poor for commercial uses.
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SECTION V
PROCEDURES AND DESIGN
This section is divided into two main parts, with laboratory procedures
comprising the first part and field procedures and design the second.
Appropriate subheadings are included below each part.
LABORATORY
A. Wastewater Characterization
At the Peyton packing plant, the effluent flows into a rectangular sedi-
mentation-skimming tank (catch basin) which has a 30 minute detention
time at peak flow. While the collection and distribution system was
being designed and constructed, the wastewater from the catch basin was
sampled and characterized. On six different occasions, samples were
collected, at one-half hour intervals for 24 hours from the effluent pipe
of the catch basin. On two of these occasions influent samples were
also taken. The depth of flow was measured in the effluent pipe and, using
corresponding velocities as measured in a separate study, the total flow
was calculated. In addition to analyzing the 48 one-half hour samples
individually, a flow proportional composite sample was made and analyzed.
All samples were kept in a polystyrene cooler containing ice until they
could be transported back to the laboratory, a storage time of approx-
imately 3 hours. The samples were analyzed within 24 hours for pH,
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Grease,
Total Solids (TS), Volatile Total Solids (VTS), Suspended Solids (SS),
Volatile Suspended Solids (VSS), and Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN). All
tests were conducted according to the procedures specified in Standard
Methods (8).
B. Grass Studies
In addition to the wastewater characterization study, a study was con-
ducted to determine which type of soil cover should be planted in the
application areas. Ideally, the grass selected for a soil treatment
8
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system using meatpacking plant wastewater should possess the following
characteristics: high salt tolerance, high moisture tolerance, long
growing season, high nutrient uptake, and non-leguminous. While none of
the common grasses that grow well in the Southwest possess all of the above
mentioned qualities, there are several grasses which possess most of these
qualities. These include- Bermuda (common or NK-27), Tall Wheat, Blue
Fanicum, and Tall Fescue. Bermuda and Blue Fanicum are warm season grasses
while Tall Wheat and Tall Fescue grow best during the cool season.
Laboratory studies were initiated to evaluate the acceptability of the
grasses for the proposed irrigation conditions. The grasses were seeded
in triplicate in one-gallon containers and irrigated two times per day
at 0.9 and 1.8 cm per day. A similar set of controls was irrigated with
plain tap water at the same rate and all containers were kept in a glass
house without temperature or humidity controls.
After the laboratory studies were completed, those grasses which were
found to be acceptable were planted in 2.5 x 2.5 m plots within each of
the spray areas. These grasses were irrigated daily with tap water until
germination, after which time they were irrigated with wastewater during
the normal application periods.
FIELD
Two different types of land application systems were studied in this
project, i.e., infiltration and overland flow. The infiltration studies
were conducted using both high-pressure and low-pressure distribution
systems. A description of each of the systems follows.
A. High Pressure Infiltration System
The initial system that was constructed on this project was a high pres-
sure, sprinkler application, infiltration-type system. The wastewater
was applied at 5.6 kgs/sq cm (80 spi) through Rainbird full circle sprin-
klers having a nozzle size of 1.35 cm. A single sprinkler head was used
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in each of three areas which received wastewater at application rates of
6.3, 10, and 20/cm per week. Various application schedules were tested,
ranging from one application per week to daily applications.
The distribution system was constructed of 10 cm and 15 cm aluminum pipes
laid on the ground surface. Electric valves were installed on two of the
lines in order to control the hydraulic loading rate. The volume applied
to the third treatment area was controlled by turning the pump on and off
with an electric clock.
Ceramic water samplers were installed at 30 cm intervals in each spray
area so that the characteristics of the wastewater could be determined
as a function of downward percolation distance. In addition 3.8 cm well
point sampling wells were located around each spray area so that ground
water samples could be collected and analyzed for chemical and bacterio-
logical characteris t ics.
B. Low Pressure Infiltration System
A low pressure wastewater distribution system was deemed necessary after
initial studies with the high-pressure system revealed that aerosol drift
would present a significant problem. Therefore, a system was designed
which had a very low initial investment cost and which was capable of
operating at pressures as low as 0.4 kgs/sq cm (5 psi).
The low-pressure distribution system consisted of a central riser with
two balanced arms on which Bete type FF nozzles were placed at various
intervals. The arms were constructed primarily of EMT electrical conduit
with a diameter of 28 meters. An extra 3 meters was gained by placing a
nozzle turned outward at the end of each arm. At diameters greater than
28 meters it was not possible to properly balance and support the distri-
butor arms with the inexpensive, lightweight materials that were used in
their construction. Figure 1 shows an overall view of the distributor
arms; and Figure 2 shows the details at the cross and the nozzle con-
nections.
10
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TOP VIEW
SIDE VIEW
Fig. I. LOW PRESSURE DISTRIBUTOR
-------
1/2" PIPE (1.3cm.)
I 1/4" X 1/2" BUSHING
(3.2 XI.3 cm.)
V,
MT PIPE
-PIPE FROM RISER
-EMT PIPE
NOZZLE
Fig-2 DETAILS OF FITTINGS FOR DISTRIBUTOR
12
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After the distributor arms were constructed, they were placed on the
riser, which contained two bearings, a swivel, and various pieces of
pipe. The details of the .riser construction are shown in Figures 3
and 4. The riser was secured in place by pouring concrete around a
three foot pipe section placed in the ground. The nozzles were 1.5
meters above the ground surface for easy access. The force caused by
the wastewater flowing from the nozzles was sufficient to cause the
distributor arm assembly to rotate about the riser support.
Overland Flow System
The overland flow system was constructed using the cut and fill method
to achieve a 1 1/2% slope. The total area was 46 meters wide by 62
meters long. The rather shallow slope was mandated by the lack of avail-
ability of the more impervious clay-containing topsoil.
One half of the sloped area was seeded with Bermuda NK-37 and the other
half with Kentucky Tall Fescue. The area was irrigated with tap water
through high pressure sprinkler application until sufficient growth was
established to avoid plant damage by the wastewater.
Wastewater application was accomplished via a low pressure, fixed distri-
bution system. Bete fog nozzles were mounted on 1.9 m risers at 6.2
meter invervals along the top of the slope. Figure 5 is a schematic
diagram of the distribution system.
The system was operated 6 hours per day at about 0.8 kgs/sq cm (12 psi)
Monday through Friday, resulting in a hydraulic loading rate of 12.5
cm/week. Effluent wastewater was collected at the bottom of the runoff
area in a 5 x 5 x 2 meter sump and pumped to an adjacent disposal area
daily. Six 2.5 cm diameter galvanized pipes were installed just below
the soil surface at approximately 9 meter intervals down the runoff area
so that wastewater samples could be collected at various distances down
the slope. Each pipe was 6.5 meters long with 1 cm holes drilled at 30
cm intervals. The pipes were buried and covered with gravel, with the end
of each pipe protruding from the edge of the runoff area. Samples were
13
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TO DISTRIBUTOR
5 CM. PIPE (sch 80)
LARGE WASHER
ADAPTER
TO
VALVE
CONCRETE
Fig,3 DISTRIBUTOR RISER
(See Flo 4 for explodtd vi«w)
14
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TO DISTRIBUTOR
3 SCREWS
3 SET
SCREWS
THRUST BEARING AETNA E20
LARGE WASHER WELDED TO
3" PIPE, BEARING PLACED
NSIDE (7.6cm.)
2" PIPE (5.0cm.)
I 1/4" PIPE (3.2cm.)
ADAPTER 3"X2U
(7.6 X 5.0cm.)
RADIAL BEARING
MRC 6208ZZ
SWIVEL
90*ELBOW
IPPLE
TO,,,
VALVE
Fig,4. DETAILS OF CONSTRUCTION OF THE RISER
15
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NOZZ
FRONT VIEW
(3.8cm) I 1/2" NIPPLE
I 1/2"-90* EL BOW
(3.8 cm.)
I I/2"RIS
5' LONG
(3.8 cm. X 1.5m.)
FEED LINE-
ISER
DISTRIBUTOR
l/2"-90°ELBOW
(3.8cm.)
BUSHING
BETE TYPE FF
FOG NOZZLE
Risers are spaced
20 opart (6m.)
.DISTRIBUTOR PIPE
SIDE VIEW
Fig.5 LOW PRESSURE RUNOFF AREA DISTRIBUTOR
16
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collected by removing a cap from the end of the pipe and allowing the
effluent to flow from the pipe for about 30 seconds so that representative
samples could be obtained.
17
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SECTION VI
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
LABORATORY
A. Wastewater Characterization
In general, the strength of the wastewater as measured by the above tests
was greatest during the killing hours of 6:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. The
cleanup operations which began immediately after the killing stopped kept
the wastewater strength fairly high until about midnight. Figure 6 shows
the variation of BOD, COD, Grease and TKN versus time for one of the 24
hour analysis periods.
The graph shows that for meatpacking plant wastewater, the BOD and COD
are directly related to the grease and TKN concentrations. From the data
that was collected throughout the study, the COD:BOD ratio was found to
be approximately 2.1:1. The COD:Grease ratio was found to be 2.95:1,
which agrees well with the 2.99:1 value reported by McCarty, et al. (9).
For whole blood, the COD:N ratio was found to be 11.9:1 while the BOD:N
ratio was 9.2:1. The BOD:N ratio found here is a little lower than the
11.9:1 value reported by Fuller and Hill (10).
Table 2 shows the average results of some of the analysis performed on
the effluent from the catch basin.
Table 2 - Catch Basin Effluent Characteristics
Parameter Effluent Cone, mg/1 ab Range, mg/1
PH 7.3 6.6 - 8.1
BOD 2,600 200 - 15,150
COD 5,300 350 - 38,890
Grease 1,280 110 - 8,165
Phosphrous 17 3-35
Kjeldahl - N 110 19 - 680
Total solids 3,450 540 - 13,975
Suspended solids 1,600 15 - 10,350
a. Avg. obtained from flow proportional composite samples
b. Except pH
18
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UJ
co
o"
o
0
cf
o
on
27000
2400O
21000
18000
15000
UJ 12000
QC
e>
9000
6000
3000
COD
BOD
GREASE
KJELDAHL
NITROGEN
300
200
UJ
CJ>
O
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The most notable characteristics which contrast meatpacking plant waste-
water from domestic wastewater are its high grease content, high nitrogen
concentration, and extreme variations in short time intervals for all of
the parameters shown in Table 2. The COD of the influent to the sedimen-
tation tank has varied by as much as 100,000 mg/1 between half-hour grab
samples. Another distinguishing characteristic of the effluent from this
plant was the presence of ground pieces of bone, some as large as 8 cm
in diameter. These bone pieces necessitated screening in order to avoid
pump damage and clogged nozzles during spray irrigation. The total flow
during the initial part of the study was about 1.6 million liters per day
or 3,560 liters per head. However, during the course of this study, in-
plant changes were made which reduced the total flow to about 0.95 mil-
lion liters per day and 2,080 liters per head. This reduced flow resulted
in increased concentration for some of the wastewater parameters measured,
particularly BOD and COD.
From the decrease in concentration between the influent and effluent for
the parameters measured, the efficiency of the catch basin was calculated
as shown in Table 3.
Table 3 - Catch Basin Efficiency
Parameter Removal, %
BOD5 60
COD 54
Grease 36
Total Solids 36
Volatile Total Solids 57
Suspended Solids 3
Volatile Suspended Solids 18
The BOD and COD removals were relatively good considering the type of
treatment employed. The low percentage of grease removal in the catch
basin was one of the major reasons for the high COD values of the efflu-
ent. The low removal of suspended solids was probably due to the fact
20
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that the suspended solids test did not measure the grease as it flowed
into the catch basin, because it was hot and in liquid form. However,
before reaching the effluent pipe, the grease had coagulated and was
measured as suspended solids in the effluent.
B. GrassJStudies
The initial results from the laboratory studies showed that most of the
grasses which were irrigated with the meatpacking plant wastewater res-
ponded rather poorly. Inspection of the test containers revealed that
some of the seeds and young shoots of grass were coated with grease and
this condition apparently caused depressed germination of the grasses
and inhibited growth.
A second test was started, therefore, in which all grasses were irrigated
with plain tap water for the first two weeks in order to establish some
growth before the effluent irrigation was begun. This procedure proved
very satisfactory as all grasses grew at least as well as the grass in
the control containers. No attempts were made to quantify the results
since there appeared to be only slight, differences between the test and
control containers.
The laboratory results therefore, indicated that all of the grasses would
grow well when irrigated with the wastewater, provided some growth had
been established prior to application of the effluent.
The field tests which were conducted in 2.5 x 2.5 m plots confirmed the
laboratory results, as all of the grasses grew very well in their respec-
tive growing season. The Tall Wheat, Tall Fescue, and Bermuda NK-37 were
used in subsequent pilot scale studies as described later in the report.
Of the grasses studied, Bermuda is particularly favored because it is a
spreading grass which results in improved ground cover each year. The
Bermuda also has a higher yield in the Southwestern U.S. than either of
the cool-season grasses studied. Although Bermuda has approximately a
six month dormant period in the Southwestern part of U.S., this did
not appear to adversely affect the treatment efficiency of the system to
a large degree.
21
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FIELD
A. Infiltration System
The results reported below were obtained over an operating time of
approximately one year. Table 4 shows the treatment efficiency of the
system for the 6.3 cm and the 10 cm per week application rates as deter-
mined by the samples taken from the suction samplers at the 1.2 m level.
It was evident from the outset that the soil could not accept the 20
cm/week application rate so this loading was discontinued. Application
periods were approximately two hours in duration on Monday and Friday
for the 6.3 cm/week rate and daily for the 10 cm rate.
Table 4 - Infiltration System Treatment Efficiency
Percent Removal
Parameter 6.3 cm/week 10 cm/week
Grease 100 100
COD 99 98
Nitrogen 72 58
SS 100 100
The average efficiency values shown in Table 4 were calculated from the
wastewater values shown in Table 5,which represent the average strength
of the wastewater that was applied to the treatment areas. These values
are greater than the 24 hour average values shown in Table 2 because
wastewater was applied only during daytime hours, at which time the waste-
water strength was considerably higher than the average values.
Table 5 - Strength of Applied Wastewater
Parameter Concentration, mg/1
BOD 5,800
COD 9,400
Grease 2,600
Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen 160
SS 3,140
22
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The values reported were not corrected for evaporation so that the
actual pounds removed could be somewhat greater than these calculated
from this data. It should also be pointed out that the ceramic suction
samplers would not allow suspended solids to be collected if any were
present in the product wastewater. The data showed that suspended
solids did not reach the first ceramic sampler located 30 cm below the
soil. Furthermore, none of the samples collected from the well-point
sampling wells at the three meter depth, which could collect suspended
solids if any were present, ever contained a detectable amount of sus-
pended matter.
As shown in Table 4, all of the grease was removed at both the 6.3 and 10
cm/week application rates. This is as expected, since most of the grease
that was present in the wastewater was in the form of coagulated par-
ticles. The filtration of the grease by the soil was evident from vis-
ual observation of the soil surface after several weeks of wastewater
application. However, after drying periods of one to two weeks duration,
periodic soil analyses failed to show measurable amounts of grease in
the surface soil samples (i.e., 0-2 cm) during the entire time this
study was conducted.
The COD removal was excellent at both wastewater application rates stud-
ied, particularly in view of the extremely high organic loading rates
employed. These rates were 2,214 kgs COD/ha/week at the 6.3 cm rate and
3,691 kgs COD/ha/week at the 10 cm rate. Figure 7 shows the COD removal
as a function of downward percolation distance for both hydraulic load-
ing rates. It is evident that most of the COD was removed within the
first 30 cm of soil. There was, however, a wide range in COD removal
rates, with some sample values as high as 980 mg/1. Nevertheless, these
results show the excellent treatability of meatpacking plant wastewater
by land application.
The high organic loading rates caused some problems with infiltration
and odors, particularly at the higher loading rate. At approximately
23
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9400
9300
9200
9100
1.8 2.8
PERCOLATION DISTANCE, meters
Fig. 7. COD REMOVAL VS PERCOLATION DISTANCE
24
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three week intervals, it was necessary to omit one or more of the appli-
cation periods in order to allow adequate drying time. If this were not
done, the reduced infiltration rate would cause ponding with subsequent
odor, and insect problems.
Nitrogen removal was also very good when the high loading ratea were
taken into account. The 6.3 cm/week hydraulic loading rate resulted
in a 1,961 kgs N/ha/year loading while the nitrogen loading at the 10
cm/week rate was 3,267 kgs N/ha/year. Both values are much higher than
the normal application rates recommended for agricultural fertilization.
In terms of nitrogen removal 1,412 and 1,895 kgs/ha/year were removed
at the 6.3 and 10 cm per week application rates respectively. The ni-
trogen removals obtained, therefore, obviously could not be accounted
for in plant uptake alone.
Several mechanisms are involved in nitrogen removal during land appli-
cation of wastewater, including denitrification and ion exchange (11).
Filtration is also important for meatpacking plant wastewater because
a considerable amount of nitrogen is present in the proteinaceous sus-
pended solids emanating from the inedible rendering operations. Filtra-
tion of several wastewater samples revealed that approximately 50 per-
cent of the Kjeldahl nitrogen^could be removed by this mechanism alone.
However, a nitrogen balance was not made so that the percent removal
obtained by each mechanism is not known.
Well water analysis showed a gradual increase in nitrate concentrations
through the study period at the 6.3 cm/week application rate. The ni-
trate level in well water samples under this area reached a high concen-
tration of 4.1 mg/1 from a background level of 0.1 mg/1. No similar
increase was observed in the 10 cm/week application area, indicating
that the higher organic loading rate may have caused more denitrifi-
cation. Supporting evidence of this is the greater amount of nitrogen
removed at the higher loading rate and the high concentrations of Kjeldahl
nitrogen obtained in the suction samplers, with some values reaching
75 mg/1.
25
-------
Figure 8 shows the Kjeldahl nitrogen concentrations in the soil for
samples taken at the surface in each treatment area for the entire study
period. As shown in the graph, the nitrogen concentration ranged from
0.1 mg N/g of soil to 5.1 mg N/g for the 10 cm/week application rate,
with a slightly smaller range for the 6.3 cm/week rate. No consistent
trend was evident at the surface in terms of nitrogen build-up. However,
the peak concentrations observed in the June 15 samples were probably
due to the fact that the treatment areas were plowed two days prior to
that sampling. This indicates that there may have been higher nitrogen
concentrations in the soil beneath the surface so that the relatively
high nitrogen removals observed in this study could represent a short-
term phenomenon.
Phosphorous removals varied so much throughout the study that average
removal percentages would be relatively meaningless. That is, the initial
suction samples showed that virtually all of the phosphorous had been re-
moved from the treated wastewater at the 1.2 m level. However, these
values increased rapidly so that very little phosphorous was removed in
the treatment areas after the initial breakthrough. This observation
is consistent with the theory that initial phosphate uptake is rapid
according to the Langmuir or BET equation followed by a slower long term
uptake which has been explained in terms of a reaction of the adsorbed
phosphate with the substrate on which it has been adsorbed (12).
B. Overland Flow System
The data obtained in this part of the study were obtained over a period
of approximately one and a half years. The first effluent samples which
were taken from the runoff system in June indicated the COD removal effi-
ciency was a little less than 50%. The low efficiency was expected be-
cause significant channeling was observed due to lack of complete ground
cover. Furthermore, runoff-type treatment systems tend to improve with
time for several years. By the middle of July, the grass in some parts of
the runoff area was quite tall and in need of cutting. The area was
26
-------
5-
§4-
o
u
UJ
&
S
H
O
CO
JAN
AUG
FEB MAR APRMAY JUNJl)L
DATE
Fig. 8 SOIL KJELDAHL NITROGEN VARIATION WITH TIME
SEP OCT N6V DEC
-------
allowed to dry and the grasses were cut and baled, resulting in 32 bales
weighing an average of 32 kgs per bale.
Wastewater application was restarted in early August and the efficiency
of the system began to improve. By the end of September, the efficiency,
with respect to COD removal, averaged about 66%. The area was again cut
and baled and produced a yield of 67 bales. The increased yield was
attributed to spreading of the Bermuda into some of the barren spots, but
even at the second cutting about 10% of the field had not been covered.
The bales which were collected were fed to the cattle which are kept in
the holding pens overnight, and there was no apparent reluctance by the
cattle to accept the hay.
The average treatment results obtained during the last nine months of
the study are considered the most representative because of the "aging"
of the system and are shown in Table 5.
Table 5 - Overland Flow Treatment Results
Cone,
% Removal
84
44
54
76
87
89
As with the infiltration treatment system, the overall efficiency of the
overland flow system was excellent when the extremely high organic load-
ing rate was taken into consideration. The COD removal, for example, was
2,017 kgs/ha/day, or in terms of BOD, approximately 1,009 kgs/ha/day.
Slight odors were noticeable when the system was operated for more than
three consecutive weeks without resting, but the odors disappeared quickly
after applications were stopped.
Parameter
COD
Kjeldahl Nitrogen
Total Solids
Volatile Total Solids
Suspended Solids
Volatile Suspended Solids
Influent Cone,
mg/1
9,440
185
7,430
4,690
4,130
3,825
Effluent Cone
mg/1
1,495
108
3,420
1,125
535
420
28
-------
Most of the nitrogen removal that was obtained was due to the nitrogen
removed in the suspended solids. The effluent from the treatment area
was usually reddish brown in color indicating that some blood was still
present in the wastewater. Nitrates were never found in any of the
effluent samples, probably because of the high organic loading rate. The
total nitrogen removal was 104 kgs/ha/week, again more than could be
accounted for by plant growth alone. Since no nitrates were present in
the effluent, the nitrogen was either retained in the solids removed by
the system, or lost through ammonia stripping or denitrification. As in
the infiltration study, a nitrogen balance was not performed so the exact
cause of the nitrogen removal is not known.
The solids data indicates relatively good system performance. The percent
removals obtained for each of the solids parameters are consistent with the
actual amount of volatile solids removed. That is, the difference between
the influent and effluent concentrations for each parameter is close to
3,400 mg/1. This shows that only a very small amount of the dissolved
(filterable) solids were removed. This is as expected since a large per-
centage of the dissolved solids were inorganic solids, particularly sodium
chloride.
From the samples collected at the interceptor pipes located at approxi-
mately 9 meters down the runoff area, the efficiency of the treatment
system with respect to travel distance down the slope was determined as
shown in Figure 9. It is evident that the removal rate for each para-
meter decreased with travel distance down the slope, a phenomenon similar
to the decreasing reaction rate in biological systems. Most of the or-
ganic materials were removed within the first 30 meters of the treatment
area. However, it is apparent that by increasing the wastewater travel
distance, a greater overall treatment efficiency could be achieved, par-
ticularly for COD. In designing an overland flow system for high strength
meatpacking plants wastes, therefore, it appears that there would be some
advantage to increasing the slope distance beyond 62 meters.
29
-------
•200
100
UJ
o
o
t-
z
_J
X
o
UJ
Inf. 8 16 ^5 34 43 53
TRAVEL DISTANCE, METERS
Fig. 9. TREATMENT EFFICENCY VS TRAVEL DISTANCE
Eff.
30
-------
Although there was a noticeable deposition of greasy looking solids at
the edges of the sprinkler application area, these solids turned black
and dried very well during resting periods. Utilization of proper
operating and drying schedule, therefore, seems to eliminate any problems
which might be caused by solids build-up.
On several occasions throughout the study, it was noted that the param-
eters which were used to measure treatment efficiency actually increased
above the original concentration at the first and sometimes at the sec-
ond interceptor pipe down the slope. This behavior is shown in Figure
10 for one of the 12-hour sampling periods and occurred when the system
had been operated for an extended period of time without resting. Appar-
ently suspended solids which had been previously removed within the first
9 meters of the treatment system were resuspended and carried further
down the runoff area. After the treatment area was allowed to rest for
about three or four days, however, treatment efficiency returned to
normal. The interceptor pipes, therefore, in addition to providing in-
formation on treatment efficiency as a function of down-slope travel dis-
tance, provided a signal that the system should be rested before final
effluent deterioration was observed.
31
-------
5000
4000
3000
o«
E
M
tJ
O
W
2000
9
Q.
V)
1000
Inf
I 23456
Pipe Numbers
Fig. 10. TREATMENT RESULTS FOR ONE 12-HR RUN
32
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SECTION VII
DISCUSSION OF RELATED THESES
During the conduct of the general land application feasibility studies,
several theses and special reports were produced which dealt with spe-
cific aspects of the overall project. The results of some of these
investigations are summarized below.
Because of the high strength of most meatpacking plant effluents and
because of the varied operations inside the plant which generate waste-
water, a study was undertaken with the objective of determining the
quantity and quality of wastewater produced from the operations associ-
ated with the slaughtering and manufacturing process (13). Therefore,
the sources of wastewater generation, both inside and ouside the plant
were determined and various flow measurement and sampling schemes were
established for each flow. The samples were then characterized by con-
ducting the tests which were deemed most appropriate for that particular
flow. The quantity and quality of flow from each unit source was
expressed as a percentage of the total plant flow in order to determine
if segregation of the wastewater from certain sources would be advisable.
Table 6 shows the percentage of the total flow which each source repre-
sents and the percentage of COD each contributed to the plant effluent
COD. Thus the kill floor produced 44% of the total effluent flow but
only 12% of the total COD. Similarly, the smokehouse flow contributed
16% to the flow but only less than 2% to the total COD. On the other
hand, the rendering plant produced only 5% of the plant flow but repre-
sented 68% of the total plant COD.
When individual units are considered, the tripe washer produced only
1.8% of the flow, but 4.7% of the COD and 14 percent of the Kjeldahl
nitrogen. Similarly, the blood holding tank produced less than 1%
of the flow but accounted for nearly 12% of the Kjeldahl nitrogen. On
the other hand, the automatic carcass washer produced over 17% of the
flow with less than 5% of the COD.
33
-------
LO
Table 6
- Flow Rate
FLOW
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
11)
12)
13)
14)
15)
16)
17)
18)
19)
20)
21)
22)
23)
24)
25)
26)
27)
28)
29)
30)
SOURCE OF FLOW
Automatic Carcass Washer
Manual Carcass Wash
Carcass Grease Trough
Tripe Washer
Stomach Pipe
Liver-Lung Table
Chute Sprays
Entrails Wash
Beef Cheeks
Cone Stomach Washer
Head Wash
Tail Wash
Automatic Footwash
Manual Footwash
Manual Foot Clean
Shroud Wash
Evisceration Belt Sprays
Wash Basins
Misc Clean-up Hoses
Rear Corridor Hose
Kill Floor Subtotal
Cure Injection Room
Sausage Manufacture
Smokehouse
Condenser Flow
Blood Holding Tank
Rendering-Grease Wash
Rendering Plant Subtotal
Cattle Pens
Manure Screen Wash Water
Clean-up Plantwide
Blood Losses
GAL/MIN
75.0
8.8
11.9
7.9
50.0
4.6
10.2
12.5
6.9
12.0
15.2
8.6
10.2
9.4
2.5
25.0
15.0
7.0
10.0
8.6
2.5
10.0
150.0
10.8
15.0
10.0
10.0
11.2
95.5
20.0
GAL/DAY
40,500
4,752
6,426
4,260
3,360
2,484
5,508
4,380
4,122
783
2,337
748
3,580
1,574
1,080
3,000
8,100
3,780
1,080
700
102,554
1,427
2,000
37,213
7,761
1,800
2,329
11,890
6,000
3,360
69,453
20
and COD From
% MEASURED
FLOW
17.3
2.0
2.7
1.8
1.4
1.1
2.4
1.9
1.8
0.3
1.0
0.3
1.5
0.7
0.5
1.3
3.5
1.6
0.5
0.3
43.8
0.6
0.0
15.9
3.3
0.8
1.0
5.1
2.5
1.4
29.7
Unit Processes
COD CONG.
MG/L
4,360
' —
1,598
38,000
4,017
620
500**
1,000**
603
1,000**
6,712
233**
233
233**
233**
2,290
300**
1,000**
1,000**
1,000**
36,408
2,000**
488
1,240
19,968
987,000
3,397
51
8,178
330,720
% MEASURED
COD
4.9
—
0.3
4.7
0.3
-
0.1
0.1
0.1
-
0.5
-
-
—
—
0.2
0.1
0.1
-
-
11.7
1.5
0.1
1.6
0.3
1.0
66.8
68.1
0.6
-
16.2
0.2
Total
162.4 233,917*
* 85.2% of the average daily flow
** Estimated concentration
-------
This study has shown very definitely the great differences in some of
the unit flows. Furthermore, in some cases, segregation of the wastes
from the main stream may be feasible.
In conjunction with the wastewater characterization by source study, a
separate investigation was made to determine the treatability of certain
unit wastes by chemical methods (14). Samples of dilute blood, tripe
wash effluent and holding pen washwater were collected in addition to
catch basin effluent and each was treated with various doses of ferric
chloride and 1 mg/1 of Nalco 676 polymer. Various coagulant aids were
also tested but proved to be ineffective and were, therefore, not used
in the final studies. The efficiency of the chemical treatment was
determined by measuring the organic carbon and Kjeldahl nitrogen removals.
The concentrations of blood were prepared in the range of 0.01% to 0.8%
and treated with various concentrations of the coagulant and polymer.
The results showed that carbon removal was linear with ferric chloride
dosage, with slightly more than 4 mg/1 of coagulant required for each
mg/1 of organic carbon removed. Thus, for the 0.8% blood solution, a
coagulant dosage in excess of 2,500 mg/1 was required in order to achieve
greater than 90% reduction in organic carbon.
When similar tests were conducted on the tripe wash and manure samples,
however, much lower concentrations of coagulant were required per unit
of organic carbon removed. Thus, for the manure samples, there was ap-
proximately a 1:1 relationship between carbon removal and coagulant dosage.
The tripe wash effluent was even easier to treat, with carbon removed
to coagulant dosage ratio of approximately 2:1 for the higher carbon con-
centration ranges. For the catch basin effluent, the carbon removed to
coagulant dosage ratio was found to be approximately 1:1.
The data obtained in this study indicate that there would be some
advantage to mixing certain wastes together when chemical treatment is
required. However, when chemical treatment is employed for recovery of
marketable by-products such as blood, the advantage of the lower
35
-------
chemical concentration required when wastes are mixed together may be off-
set by decreased quality of the desired by-product. The desirability of
segregating some of the wastewater flows, for by-product recovery, therefore,
would have to be determined on a case by case basis.
Since considerable aerosol drift was observed during high pressure appli-
cation of the wastewater, a study was undertaken to determine the extent
of the problem. This investigation included identification of some of
the pathogenic microorganisms which were likely to be present in the
packing plant effluent. Additionally, petrie dishes containing various
culture media were placed at various distances both upwind and downwind
from the high pressure and low pressure distribution nozzles. An Andersen
Sampler and a Millipore Sterifil impinger were also used in this study,
with M endo agar used in the Andersen sampler and Brain Heart Infusion
broth in the liquid impinger.
Several types of pathogenic bacteria were isolated from the catch basin
effluent. These included Staphlococcus, Streptococcus, Brucella, Salm-
onella, and Shigella. While various types of pathogens were found, iso-
lation and identification of pathogens was difficult due to the fact that
they are fastidious in their environmental requirements. No attempt was
made to determine the percentage of time these pathogens would be present
in the wastewater, but it appeared that very few could survive the tem-
perature change, radiation exposure, and desiccation inherent in spray
irrigation of the wastewater. Therefore, non pathogenic enteric organ-
isms were used in the aerosol drift studies.
As expected, there was a considerable decrease in bacterial travel dis-
tance downwind with decreased operating pressure. Figure 11 shows a com-
parison of the enteric counts for the low pressure (1 kgs/sq cm) and the
high pressure (5.6 kgs/sq cm) systems for wind speeds ranging from 10-16
kilometers per hour. Viable cells were transported approximately five
times farther downwind with the high-pressure system. This could cause
some difficulty if high pressure distribution systems were designed in
36
-------
High Pressure
Sprinkler
Low Pressure
Sprinkler
Fig.
TlT
DISTANCE DOWNWIND, meters
VIABLE ENTERICS FROM AEROSOL DURING WIND OF 7-16 KPH
-------
populated areas, particularly those localities where windy conditions
are quite prevalent. The advantages of a low pressure system in this
regard are obvious.
38
-------
SECTION VIII
SUMMARY
The treatability of high strength meatpacking plant wastewater by land
application has been shown to be excellent for both infiltration and
overland flow type systems. With respect to organic carbon removal,
both systems were shown to be very effective, achieving efficiencies of
approximately 98% and 84% for the infiltration and overland flow systems
respectively. The advantage of higher efficiency obtained with the
infiltration system is offset somewhat by the more expensive and complicated
distribution system involved. Additionally, recovery of the treated
wastewater from an infiltration system would be more difficult if subsequent
reuse were anticipated. There is also less likelihood of polluting potable
water supplies with an overland flow system.
Nitrogen removal was also slightly better with the infiltration system
than with overland flow. However, efficient nitrogen removal depends to
a great extent on closely controlled operating conditions. The scope of
this study was too wide ranging to study one aspect of system performance
in detail, but it is felt that both types of systems can achieve much
higher efficiencies than those found in this study.
The potential for phosphorous removal is obviously greater in an infiltration
system than overland flow. Where phosphorous removal is of primary impor-
tance, therefore, infiltration systems offer a definite advantage compared
to overland flow. On the other hand, when soil conditions are not
favorable for phosphorous removal and chemical treatment must be employed,
there are few considerations which would favor one system over the other.
POTENTIAL PROBLEMS
There are several potential problems associated with land application of
meatpacking plant wastewater. One of these which requires immediate con-
sideration is the possibility of the presence of pathogenic bacteria in
the wastewater. Brucella, Steptococuss, Staphlococcus, Salmonella, and
39
-------
Shigella bacteria have been isolated from the effluent of the catch basin
on several occasions. The extent of this problem is not known at this time
but should have a high priority in future studies or in proposed installa-
tions.
The problem of pathogenic bacteria present in the wastewater is compounded
by the drifting of aerosols formed during application of the wastewater.
Under even slight wind conditions (10-16 kilometers per hour) viable bac-
terial cells have been measured as far as 150 meters downwind for the
high pressure system. For the low pressure distribution system, the maxi-
mum travel distance downwind was less than 30 meters. It is obvious,
therefore, that this problem should be given careful consideration in
designing a distribution system, with lower operating pressures preferred.
The high TDS concentration in most meatpacking plant wastewaters is caused
by sodium chloride. As a result, most packing plant wastewaters have a
very unfavorable sodium absorption ratio. This would cause serious prob-
lems with infiltration in clay-containing soils unless amendments were
added. Sandy type soils are generally not affected by unfavorable sodium
adsorption ratios and therefore are generally best suited for accepting
meatpacking plant wastes as they leave the plant.
Finally, the high concentration of nitrogen present in most meatpacking
plant wastewaters presents a potential problem of ground water pollution.
The experience gained with soil treatment systems so far indicates that
close control of the treatment system is required in order to remove
greater than 50 percent of the nitrogen. Even then, the high concentra-
tion originally present could cause significant amounts of nitrogen to
reach the ground water table.
40
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SECTION IX
REFERENCES
1. Waring, George, Modern Methods of Sewage Disposal. London,
D. Van Nostrand. 1903.
2. Land Applications of Sewage Effluents and Sludges: Selected
Abstracts. Water Quality Control Branch, Robert S. Kerr Water
Research Center; Ada, Oklahoma. Publication Number EPA-660/2-
74-042. June 1974. 248 p.
3. Sullivan, R.H., M. M. Coh, and S. S. Baxter. Survey of Facilities
Using Land Application of Wastewater. Environmental Protection
Agency, Washington, D.C. Publication Number EPA-430/9-73-006.
July 1973. 377 p.
4. Environmental Quality. Joint Task Force, U.S. Dept. of Agri-
culture and State University. 1967. p. 26.
5. Air Quality Survey, El Paso Metropolitan Area. Texas State
Dept. of Health, Austin, Texas. 1968.
6. Nemerow, H. L. Theories and Practices of Industrial Waste Treat-
ment. Reading, Addison Wesley. 1963. pp 343-347.
7. Data obtained from United States Geological Survey in El Paso,
Texas.
8. Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater,
American Public Health Assoc., Washington, D.C., 13th Ed. 1971.
9. McCarty, P. L., 0. J. Hahn, G. N. McDennott, and P. J. Weaver.
Treatability of Oily Wastewaters from Food Processing and Soup
Manufacture. Proceedings 27th Annual Purdue Industrial Waste
Conference {Purdue Univ.) (141): 879 May 1972.
41
-------
10. Fuller, W. J., and K. V. Hill. The Economics of Poor House-
keeping in the Meat Industry. J. Water Pollution Control
Federation (Washington). _39_(4) : 659-664, May 1967.
11. Thomas, R. E., K. Jackson, and L. Penrod. Feasibility of
Overland Flow for Treatment of Raw Domestic Wastewater. U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Corvallis, Oregon. Publication
Number EPA-660/2-74-087. July 1974. 31 p.
12. Hsu, Pa-Ho, Adsorption of Phosphate by Aluminum and Iron in
Soils. Soil Science Society Proceedings, p 474-478, 1964.
13. Vandertulip, D. Meatpackinghouse Wastewater: Characterization by
Source. Master's Thesis, University of Texas at El Paso. May, 1975.
14. Payan, C. Chemical Treatment of Meatpacking Plant Wastewater from
Unit Operations. Master's Thesis, University of Texas at El Paso.
May, 1975.
42
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TECHNICAL REPORT DATA
(Please read Instructions on the reverse before completing)
1. REPORT NO.
EPA-600/2-76-302
3. RECIPIENT'S ACCESSION>NO.
4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE
TREATMENT OF HIGH STRENGTH MEATPACKING
PLANT WASTEWATER BY LAND APPLICATION
5. REPORT DATE
1Q76 •i
6. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION CODE
7. AUTHOR(S)
Anthony J. Tarquin
8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NO.
9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS
University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, Texas 79968
10. PROGRAM ELEMENT NO.
1BC611 (Task 007)
11. CONTRACT/GRANT NO.
Grant No. 801028
12. SPONSORING AGENCY NAME AND ADDRESS
Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Lab. - Ada, OK
Office of Research and Development
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
Ada, Oklahoma 74820
13. TYPE OF REPORT AND PERIOD COVERED
Final - 3/72 - 4/76
14. SPONSORING AGENCY CODE
EPA/600/15
15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES
16. ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to determine the treatability of high strength
meatpacking plant wastewater by land application. Both infiltration and
overland flow type systems were studied at various hydraulic and organic
loading rates. In addition to characterization of the raw and treated waste-
water, laboratory and field studies were conducted in order to find one or more
grasses which would be suitable for soil 'cover. Related investigations were
also made regarding aerosol drift during high pressure and low pressure distri-
bution, wastewater characterization from unit processes within the meatpacking
plant, and chemical treatability of unit wastes using ferric chloride.
Using a raw wastewater which had a COD of 9,400 mg/1, the results showed that
both types of land application systems performed well with respect to COD
removal, with an efficiency of 99% at a 10 cm/week rate for the infiltration
system and 84% at a 12.5 cm/week rate for overland flow. Both systems were
less efficient with respect to nitrogen removal, averaging 58% and 44% for
the infiltration and overland systems respectively. Two warm season grasses
(Bermuda NK-37 and Blue Panicum) and two cool season grasses (Kentucky-31
Tall Fescue and Jose Wheatgrass) were shown to grow very well when irrigated
with the meatpacking plant wastewater.
17.
KEY WORDS AND DOCUMENT ANALYSIS
DESCRIPTORS
b. IDENTIFIERS/OPEN ENDED TERMS
c. COSATI Field/Group
Industrial waste treatment
Meatpacking wastewater
Overland-flow
13 B
18. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT
RELEASE TO PUBLIC
19. SECURITY CLASS (ThisReport)
UNCLASSIFIED
21. NO. OF PAGES
49
20. SECURITY CLASS (Thispage)
UNCLASSIFIED
22. PRICE
EPA Form 2220-1 (9-73)
43
&U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1977-757-056/5568 Region No. 5-11
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