EXAMINING PERFORMANCE OF STABILIZATION PONDS OF AHVAZ S SLAUGHTERHOUSE

A waste stabilization pond (WSP) is a hole in which household wastewater and other types of sewage are stored for long periods so that organic materials existing in them are deposited, decomposed and stabilized through exposure to light, heat, growth of algae and microorganisms. In this study, wastewater samples collected and treated by the treatment plant of a slaughterhouse in Ahvaz region of Iran and compared the relevant measured parameters with the standards, which set by the Environmental Protection Organization of Iran in order to determine the efficiency of WSPs in treating wastewater and making them usable for irrigation purposes. The results indicate that Turbidity, BOD5, PH, COD, TDS, and TSS values for the treated wastewater stood at 1000 NTU, 912 mg/l, 8.78, 1520 mg/l, 1052 mg/l, and 2180 mg/l respectively. A comparison of these values with the standard values set by the Environmental Protection Organization of Iran revealed a significant difference. This finding shows that the wastewater treatment plant under study had a poor productivity and performance. The wastewater treated by that facility should not be used for irrigation or discharge into surface water.