American-Eurasian I, Agtie. & Envison, Se ISSN 1818-6769 ‘IDOST Publications, 2011 10 (3): 763-768, 2011 Heavy Metals Characteristics of Wastewater Stabilization Ponds Borhan Mansouri and Mohammad Ebrahimpour Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran “Abstract: The objectives of this paper was to determine whether cadiun (Ga), arsenio (As), ebvemium (C), copper (Cu) ead (Pb), zine Zn) and meroury (He) concentrations of the stabilization ponds effluent are suitable for agricultural ivigation; as well a if there ae seasoxal variation in effluent characteristics of wastewater stabilization pond. The overall means of Ca, As and Cr concentrations were determined at 1-14, 11.7 and 71.6, gL. respectively while the overall means of Cu, Pb and Zn concentrations were measured at 369, 7 8 and S03 g/L, respectively. Also, the overall mean of Hg concentration was determined at 50 jg, Results of control chart showed that there are no any special causes of variation in different months from the wastewater stabilization pond, so the operaticn of the system is good, Results of this study also showed that effluent values of wastewater are below EPA guidelines thresholds for srt term and long tem itigation with respect tometals (Cd, As, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn). Key words: Arid region + Control chart + Water source + Stabilization pond INTRODUCTION (One of the major concems of this century is the preservation of environmental quality [1]. Water contamination and shortage of clean water reservoirs is cone of the mest wgent problems for hnman activities. The consumption of water in industrial processes and for households” are enormous and so are amounts of wastes nd number of various contaminations are significant [2] During the lest decade, there hes been an ever-increasing interest in the study of natural wastewater weatment systems [3]. Waste stabilization ponds are large constructed basins for low cost wastewaler treatment [4-8]. A stabilization pond is a typical kind of natural system for wastewater treatment [9]. Waste stabilization Ponds are shallow basins in which wastewater is treated by bacteria (anserobiclaerobic) and algae [10] Most wastewater treatment plants throughout the world are designed and regulated to remove mutrients from wastewaters, but it is also known that large amounts of potentially toxic elements, such as metals, enter the wastewater [11]. Toxie elements are serious environmental problems that threaten human health and the quality of the environment [12]. Heavy metal pollution is one of the ‘most important environmental problems today (13), They may be found in significant quantities in municipal wastewater weatment plant influents as a result of contributions by industry [14]. Important sources of heavy metals in wastewater are urban and industrial cltlucnt [15] omit because of repetition Accumulation of these elements in wastewater depends on a number of local factors, including the industry type, peoples” way of life and their awareness of the impacts to the environment by careless disposal of wastes [11]. In this study, monthly samples taken from effluent of wastewater stabilization pond in Birjand (Iran) were analyzed in three years (from Apsil, 2007 to Februsty, 2010) to determine heavy metal concentrations. The objectives of this work was to determine whether cadmium (Ce), arsenic (As), chrexnium (Cd, copper (Cu), lead (Pb), zine (Zn) and mercury (Hg) concentrations of the stabilization ponds effluent are suitable for agricultural irrigation; as well as if there are seasonal effluent characteristics of wastewater stabilization pond, variation in MATERIALS AND METHODS. Site Description: The studied wastewater stabilization pond is located in East of Iran, Birjand and the capital city of Southem Khorasan province. It is sitnated at latitde of 32° 86’ N and longitude of 59° 21 E and about 1490 m above sea level. The elimate of the city is semi-arid with Corresponding Author: Borhan Manson, Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Bisjand, Bijand, Iran, E-mail: bonunmansousi@iyalioe com. 763Am-Euras. J Agric. & Environ. Sci. “Table: Psi cratic of th tne pone 10(3): 763-765, 2011 pod | pea beads eration 35 5 rc wm) 1 1 1 Sie are?) sets 3300 13288 Capacity cin’) 8002 00 1238 Water depth x) as 2 1 HRT dn) as ans as "HRT-iy races tine “Tuble2: Mean OSD) hey maa cancun yl) fom eluent ef Wastewater ahilzton pol drt month in tee yeas ca ae c ca zn Hie Spring Ape 000 asa? 3677 On a My = otsool, 0 eamets 113808 178 RTeL7 2 i 000 100.24 00 Wor6 a3 An samme ul ora gore oun = Oe | dae oy omens ous Mont rags iat sep 2suos 1o3ss1 ToL Baek SOS Avtmn Ost sun 36808 Mtns 2638027418 Nov ovens ra742 00 isos7 708 Dee donno. 400834 00 nos gas Wiser Jan 000 meaz S006 MSS wang Feb smo asses soos mesa seas Mae 7808 00 Too? a5ass6 201 cold winter and approximately 8 months dey season (from, middle of April to December. is average rainfall is 171 mm and unevenly distributed throughout the year. The average annual temperature is 16.5 °C with the warmest month in July (average 28.5°C) and the coldest in January (average 35°C), The sunlight of the year is 255 days. The wastewater stabilization pond was put into operation in 2006, consisting of 3 ponds in parallel. The ponds are used to treat domestic wastewater from parts of Birjand (for 64000 inhabitants with the city population of 157G00). ‘The physical characteristics of the wastewater stabilization pond are shown in Table 1 Methods: Monthly samples were taken from effluent of wastewater stabilization pond were analyzed in thiee years (from April, 2007 to February, 2010) to determine heavy metal concentrations, Heavy metals that were measured were cadmium (Ca), arsenie (As), chromium (CH), copper (Cu), lead (PD), zine (Zn) and mereury (Tg) The wastewater samples were analyzed for heavy metal concentrations were determined by Polarography instrument, One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to evaluate differences between the heavy metal concentrations of the effluent wastewater samples collected from stabilization pond at the four seasons (period of three years). Ths is because of normalization of data, The contol chart (X bar-chrt) was used to find ‘unusual pattem for ecatrol quality from final effluent of wastewater. Hence, the X bar-chart was used for the study of changes of heavy metals in stabilization ponds in different months. The X-bar chart was sed to show how the mean changes over time. We use mean because 764 they are more susceptible to changes than single values Before doing an X barca, the dispersion chart (S-chart) was done, Because the dispertion chart (S char) shoved the process was in control, the X bar-chart was used. A. process is in control when only common causes- not special causes- afleet the process output. In the other words, when points (means heavy metals concentration) {all within the bounels ofthe control limits (UCL and LCL), and they do not display any nonrandom patterns [15] Data analyses were carried out using the statistical package Minitab (Release 14), RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ‘The results of the analyses of the heavy metal concentrations of the effluent samples for a period of 3 years covering 12 months are given in Table 2. The mean Ca concentration of the effluents wastewater ranged beter 0.0 yin peal Ju) an 75 pi, (in Mar). The mean As concentration of the effluents wastewater ranged between 0 pel. (in May) and 17-0 ua (in Nov). ‘The mean of Cr concentrations trom the effluents ‘wastewater ranged! between 32.7 py (in Aug) and 201.5 gL (in Mar) and, the mean of Cu concentrations ranged betwroon 0.0 pg/L (in Apr Fun and Mar) and 93.1 g/L (in ‘Aug). The mean Pb concentration of the flunts wastewater ranged between 0.0 yg (in Nov and Deo) and 17.0 pg/L. (in Jun) while the mean Zn concentration of the effluents wastewater ranged between 13.7 pg/L {in Dee) and 118.7 yg (in May). Also, the mean Hg concentration ofthe effluents wastewater ranged between 2.3 gil (in May) and 6.7 pL in Oct and Now).Am-Euras. J. Agric. & Env eee 3 3 i i 8 i al —— 1t=-3.25 SAS PORS SE FOS Month Fig, 1: X bar-Chart of mean concentration of Cd (ug/L) in ‘effluent wastewater X bar Chart for As Concentration ‘Mean Concentration of As (19/L) é PISO PRE SE FOS Meth Fig. 2: X bar-Char of mean concentration of As (ug/L) in efuent wastewater es X bar Charfor Cr Concentration B 20 3 10 5 a0 2» i zg 9 5 J tos MEE SIFeS ‘Month Fig. 3: X bar-Chart of mean concentration of Cr (ug/L) in ‘effluent wastewater ‘The X bar-charts for heavy metals are shown in Figs. 1,2, 3,4, 5,6, 7. The X bar-charts of Cd and As show that the upper control limits (UCL) are 5.43 and 25.41, respectively. The X bar-charts of Cr, Cu and Pb show that trom. Soi. 10(3): 763-768, 2011 burch fer cu Concentration 3 vazat7 s i Fon 5 : 8 \cL=1513 i EPP IPRIE FOS Month 4: X bar-Chart of mean concentration of Cu (g/L) in effluent wastewater Fig. NE ese ertenceeaee 3 i £ 3 Egos eeFed sod veh Fig, 5: X bar-Chart of mean concentration of Pb (g/l) in effluent wastewater X bar Chart for Za Concentration ucL=1658 528 Concentration of 2n (ng/L) 3 tas-602 F EAP I PPI LHF EK Month Fig. 6: X bar-Chart of mean concentration of Zin (g/l) in effluent wastewater the upper control limits (UCL) are 206.9, 224.7 and 35.80, respectively. Also, the X bar-charts of Zn and Hy show that the upper control limits (UCL) are 165.8 and 10.85, respectively. To improve the quality of system, data need 165