Treatment of Abattoir Wastewater Using Septic and Multimedia Anaerobic Filtration Tanks from a Slaughter House in Akure, South-West Nigeria

A feasibility study was done on the combination of physical, biological and chemical treatment processes using a wedgewire screen, a two compartment septic tank and a multi-media anaerobic filtration tank with the addition of granulated activated carbon as an absorption media in the filtration tank. Experiments were conducted before and after treatment from four major abattoirs located in Akure, an urban city in South-Western Nigeria. Preliminary results indicated that the filtration tank has good potentials to substantially reduce odour, colour and pollution load of the slaughter-house effluents as a results of the activated carbon in it. Also, the septic tank was efficient in removing the sludge and reducing the pollution load. It also provided a good solid-liquid separation. The process removed up to 78% and 81% of the total COD and suspended solids respectively. The proposed process is an environmentally sound on-site facility and it is very easyto operate.