VISVESVARAYA TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

JNANA SANGAMA, BELAGAVI-590018

2023-2024
A Project Synopsis (18CVP83)
On
“EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES ON JUTE AND ARECA
FIBERS USED AS FIXED AERATED BEDS FOR DOMESTIC
WASTE WATER TREATMENT”
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of

Bachelor of Engineering
in
CIVIL ENGINEERING
Submitted by

RAHUL RAO .A 1BI2CV445

RITESH VINAYAK .M 1BI2CV449
ROHITH .A 1BI2CV450
THARUN KUMAR .H 1BI2CV472

Under the Guidance of

MRS. KAVANA S
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
Department of Civil Engineering, BIT
Bengaluru-560004

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

BANGALORE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
K.R. Road, V.V.Pura, Bengaluru-560 004
 BANGALORE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
(Affiliated to Visvesvaraya Technological University, Belagavi)
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Project Synopsis On
“EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES ON JUTE AND ARECA
FIBERS USED AS FIXED AERATED BEDS FOR DOMESTIC
WASTE WATER TREATMENT”

Project Coordinator Project Coordinator

Archana D.P Ashwini H.D

Assistant Professor Assistant professor

Project Coordinator Guide

Thanuja H.P Kavana. S

Assistant Professor Assistant professor
HOD

Dr. B.S. Putte Gowda

Professor and Head
 1. INTRODUCTION
1.1General
Water is considered the most important and priceless commodity on planet Earth. Water on earth
moves continually through the water cycle of evaporation and transpiration, condensation,
precipitation, and runoff, usually reaching the sea. It is one of the most essential things that is
required for every living being. To develop a healthy and hygienic environment, water quality
should be monitored such that it lies within the respective standards.

Wastewater is liquid waste discharged by domestic residences, commercial properties, industry,

agriculture, which often contains some contaminants that result from the mixing of wastewater
from different sources. Wastewater obtained from various sources needs to be treated very
effectively to create a hygienic environment. If proper arrangements for collection, treatment, and
disposal of all the waste produce from city or town are not made, they will go on accumulating and
create a foul condition that the safety of the structures such that building, roads will be damaged
due to accumulation of wastewater in the foundations. In addition to this, disease causing bacteria
will breed up in the stagnant water and the health of the public will be in danger.

The principal aim of wastewater treatment is generally to allow human and industrial effluents to
be disposed of without danger to human health or unacceptable damage to the natural environment.
Therefore, in the interest of the community of the town or city it is most essential to collect, treat
and dispose of all the wastewater of the city in such a way that it may not cause harm to the people
residing in the town. The extent and the type of treatment required, however, depends on the
character and quality of both sewage and sources of disposal available.

The sewage after treatment may be disposed either into a water body such as lakes, streams, river,
estuary, and ocean or into land. It may be used for several purposes such as reuse is becoming
increasingly popular, especially in geographies where potable water is in short supply.

Reduction of strength of domestic wastewater using two different bed materials Jute fiber as a filter
media is one such type of treatment method adopted. The utilization of fixed films for wastewater
treatment process has been increasingly considered due to inherent advantages over suspended
growth system. The present work is intended to study the application of the comparative study
between the fibers i.e., Jute fiber as a fixed bed for treating domestic wastewater and to know the
comparative removal efficiency of COD, BOD, turbidity, ss, chloride with conventional gravel bed
in a small volume reactor

2.LITERATURE REVIEW
1. SNEHA G SASIDHARAN
REACTOR with packing density 20kg/m3 results indicate slightly higher removal efficiency
of organic matters and nutrients when compared to reactor with packing density 15 kg/m3.
Filtration rate is faster in reactor with packing density 15 kg/m3 than the reactor with packing
density 20 kg/m3. By comparing all the three reactors coconut fiber reactor shows greater
removal efficiency. Considerable reduction in BOD COD and nutrients were achieved. Maximum
percentage of removal of BOD, COD, chloride, sulphate, nitrate and turbidity are
66.8%,66.29% ,68.11%, 69.9%, 90%,97.14% respectively. Instead of conventional media such as
plastic, textiles etc. use of natural fibrous materials as fixed bed in wastewater treatment equally
shows promising removal efficiency of organics and nutrients. The spent fiber is rich in nutrients
and can be used as organic manure.

2. Murugesan Manikkam Patti Palanisamy

The treatment of municipal wastewater via natural fibrous materials as fixed aerated beds
was demonstrated experimentally. From this investigation, significant reductions in BOD, COD
TDS, and TSS were obtained using both the Coir and Areca husk fibers. However the maximum
removal efficiencies were 55%, 58.8%, 57.8%, and 51.89% found in Coir fibrous material and
comparatively lower reductions were achieved in using Areca husk filter media i.e., (38.3%,
37.78%, 31.76%, and 30.56%.) contact period of 72 hrs., filter media depth of 5 cm and packing
density of 10 kg/m3 was demonstrated as optimum operating conditions for the maximum removal
of BOD, COD TDS, and TSS. ) foul in the filter due to the fibrous decomposition causes filtration
rate and thus makes operation malfunctions. spent fibers in filter media may after be used as
organic manure because it contains nutrient in rich amount. Since the fibrous materials are
economically viable and their treatment efficiencies are relatively high, this system may be
recommended for municipal and industrial wastewater treatment wastewaters are then used for
gardening, and other domestic activities such as floor washes and vessel, cleaning.

3. T. KAVIN, S.S. JANAGAN

Considerable reduction in BOD, COD, nutrients such as nitrates, sulphates, chlorides were
achieved. The removal efficiency of BOD and COD by using Agave as filter media was found to
be 54.7% and 54% respectively, for 15 cm depth which was higher than that of Areca which was
found to be 51.18% and 51% respectively. The removal efficiency of BOD and COD by using
Agave as filter media was found to be 65.24% and 66.6% respectively, for 30 cm depth which
was higher than that of Areca which was found to be 59% and 60.30% respectively. The removal
efficiency for BOD and COD were found to be 74% and 76% respectively, when both the filter
medias were combined. The treated wastewater can be used for gardening and other domestic
purposes like washing and cleaning.
4. B Zaman
Banana Tree, as a natural biofilter for the organic contaminant in wastewater treatment, is
presented an overview in this paper. The aim of this review is to evaluate the efficiency of
removing the organic contaminant from wastewater with natural biofilter from a banana tree. The
efficiency of the banana tree was analyzed in terms of decreasing BOD, COD and the content of
TSS. The parts of a banana tree that can be removed the organic contaminant from wastewater is
its stem that contains cellulose fibers. Cellulose fibers have characteristics such as abundantly
available, biodegradable, renewable, cheaper, low abrasive nature, attractive, specific properties,
and exhibit excellent mechanical properties. Therefore, it used as a natural biofilter to remove
organic contaminants in wastewater treatment. However, the disadvantages of cellulose fibers
were low thermal stability, moisture absorption, and poor compatibility. The banana stem can be
used as natural media biofilter because of its abundant availability in Indonesia as a tropical
country and the characteristics of cellulose fiber on the banana stem.

5. Zan E

By-product utilization and installation of waste water treatment systems (biorefinery,

whole crop utilization) substantially contributes to an enhanced sustainability of (fiber) crop
production chains.
In the production phase the score of fiber crops on CO2 and greenhouse gas emission levels,
fossil energy consumption and resources are much better than for competing petrochemical
products. There is not one strategy to achieve the various targets for enhanced use of natural
fibers. Each individual crop and product demand a systematic approach. Sophisticated
combination of resources and processes are leading to sustainable energy supplies and
defined value added products

6. Jamal Hossen
As long as the
use of non-renewable products is not restricted by legislation or extreme costs fiber crops
will be applied in the market niche where the best price / performance can be found.
The specific performance of a product and cost reduction are still the major drives for a
competitive market introduction. The appeal of natural fiber products should primarily be
its quality. Media Filtration technology has potential for
application to small-scale systems. Multi – media
filters are also a recent development in the filtration
technology which involves use of media other than the
conventional media as opposed to sand used in the
conventional sand filters. It can also be concluded
from the study that the Multi – Media filter may be
considered as efficient pre-treatment process for
wastewater treatment. The recent developments in the
media types such as porous Aerocon media and plastic
media has expanded new areas for study. Also, the
 above media may enhance the performance of the
treatment system. Hence, this technology is
environment friendly and cost effective

3.PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION

 Conventional Methods Problems Identified

1. Conventional methods struggle to effectively eliminate emerging
contaminants such as pharmaceuticals and personal care products.
2. Conventional systems may struggle to accommodate increasing
population densities, leading to overloading and decreased treatment
efficiency.
3. Processes like aeration and pumping in conventional treatment plants
demand significant energy, contributing to high operational costs and
environmental impact.
4. Some conventional treatments rely heavily on chemicals like chlorine
for disinfection, which can create harmful by-products or require
careful handling and disposal.
5. Dealing with the by-products of treatment, such as sludge, can be
challenging and costly. Disposal methods like landfilling or
incineration may pose environmental concerns.
6. Building and maintaining conventional treatment plants require
significant investment in infrastructure, equipment, and ongoing
maintenance, which can be prohibitive for some communities or
regions.
 Solutions
1. Jute and areca fibers are selected for their high porosity,
biodegradability, and availability
2. Aeration can be achieved through perforated pipes or diffusers placed
within the bed, allowing oxygen to circulate through the fibers.
3. Utilizing jute and areca fibers for wastewater treatment offers
environmental benefits such as biodegradability, low carbon footprint,
and reduced reliance on synthetic materials.
4. Depending on the scale of the operation, multiple beds can be installed
in parallel to accommodate higher wastewater loads.
5. Aerobic conditions within the beds facilitate the decomposition of
organic compounds into simpler, less harmful substances.
6. Provide education and training on the importance of wastewater
 management and the role of natural materials in achieving
environmental sustainability.

4.OBJECTIVES OF PROJECT WORK

 To study the performance of the jute and areca fibers used as filter media to treat domestic
waste water at different contact periods.
 To study the comparative removal efficiency of COD, BOD, SS, sulphate, nitrate using jute
and areca fibers.
 Facilitate the removal of suspended solids and impurities from wastewater through the
network of fiber
 The efficient aerobic microbial activity supported by natural fibers helps in minimizing the
production of foul-smelling gases, contributing to better Odor control in the
treatment process.
 The enhanced aeration efficiency provided by natural fibers can lead to reduced energy
consumption in the treatment process. This is crucial for promoting energy-efficient and
sustainable wastewater treatment practices.
 Natural fibers can act as a substrate that retains nutrients necessary for the microbial
community's growth. This helps maintain a healthy and active microbial population in
the aerated beds.
 Natural fibers, depending on the source, can be cost-effective compared to synthetic
materials. Utilizing locally available natural fibers can reduce the overall cost of
constructing and maintaining aerated beds for wastewater treatment.
 5.MATERIALS AND METHODOLODY

Collection of domestic waste sample

from a selected location (grab
sampling)

Development of reactors with depth

of filter media as a variable (Batch
mode)

Collection of experimental data for a

specified period

Analysis of data and interpretation of

 6.REFERENCES

 Natural Fibrous Materials as Fixed Aerated Beds for Domestic

Wastewater Treatment SNEHA G SASIDHARAN (2019)
 TreatmentofMunicipalWastewaterinaFixedAeratedBed:Useof
Natural Fibrous Materials- Murugesan Manikkam Patti Palanisamy(2022)
 STUDIES ON NATURAL FIBERS AS FIXED AERATED BEDS
FOR DOMESTIC WASTEWATER TREATMENT-
T. KAVIN, S.S. JANAGAN(2019).
 Banana Tree as Natural Biofilter for Organic Contaminant in
Wastewater Treatment – B ZAMAN (2020)

 Jan E.G, ” Environmental benefits of natural fiber production and use”,

Proceedings of the Symposium on Natural Fibers, van Dam
Wageningen University, The Netherlands.
 Jamal hossen, hosneara begum, md. Moslem uddin, Mohammad Tajul
Islam and Md. Mashfiqul islam , (2018). Investigating the physical
properties of treated and untreated jute fiber-polyester composites.
Asian journal of textile, 8: 13-21.