SOIL BIOTECHNOLOGY

(WASTE WATER MANAGEMENT)

HOLISTIC IMPORTANCE OF GOOD SERVICES IN GOOD DESIGN

 SOIL BIO-TECHNOLOGY

INTRODUCTION
• SOIL BIO-TECHNOLOGY IS THE PROCESS OF PURIFICATION OF WATER WITH THE
HELP OF SOIL AND OTHER MICRO-ORGANISMS & BACTERIAS PRESENT IN SOIL.
• IN THIS METHOD, USING A MIXTURE OF PHYSICAL METHODS SUCH AS
SEDIMENTATION, INFILTRATION AND ORGANIC PROCESSES, THE DISSOLVED
SOLIDS, ORGANIC AND INORGANIC CONTENTS IN THE WASTEWATER ARE
ELIMINATED.
• IT IS AN ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY WASTE PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY THAT
OFFERS SYSTEMS FOR PROCESSING OF BOTH SOLID ORGANIC WASTES AND
WASTEWATER TREATMENT USING BACTERIA, EARTHWORMS AND MINERAL
ADDITIVES IN A GARDEN-LIKE SETUP.

KEY FEATURES
• THE PROCESS CAN BE PERFORMED IN DIFFERENT BATCHES OR CAN EVEN WORK
CONTINUOUSLLY.
• THERE IS NO PRODUCTION OF SLUDGE IN THIS PROCESS.
• THERE IS NO NEED OF ANY MECHANICAL AERATION.
• THE TOTAL OPERATING TIME IS BETWEEN 6 - 7 HRS A DAY. BEFORE THE NEXT USE
CYCLE, THE SOIL BED IN THE SYSTEM IS DRIED FOR EFFICIENT USE.

APPLICATIONS OF SOIL BIOTECHNOLOGY

1. WASTE WATER MANAGEMENT: SOIL BIOTECHNOLOGY CONTRIBUTES TO WASTE
WATER MANAGEMENT BY PURIFYING THE SEWAGE WATER THROUGH NATURAL
METHODS WITHOUT LEAVING BACK ANY SLUDGE. THIS PURIFIED WATER CAN
THEN BE REUSED FOR VARIOUS PURPOSES.
2. PLANT GROWTH PROMOTION: IN THE PROCESS OF SOIL BIOTECHNOLOGY,
ORGANIC MATTER IN SEWAGE WATER IS BROKEN DOWN TO NUTRIENTS &
ENZYMES WHICH HELP IN INCREASING THE FERTILITY OF THE SOIL, THUS
PROMOTING PLANT GROWTH.
3. INCREASING SOIL FERTILITY: MICROORGANISMS LIKE NITROGEN-FIXING
BACTERIA & FUNGI USED IN THIS METHOD CONVERT THE ORGANIC WASTE IN
WATER INTO USEFUL MANURE, THUS INCREASING THE FERTILITY OF THE SOIL.
4. SOIL RESTORATION & EROSION CONTROL: PLANT SPECIES WITH DEEP ROOTS ARE
USED TO HELP STABILIZE SOIL & PREVENT EROSION. ALSO, THE USE OF SPECIFIC
PLANTS & MICROORGANISM CAN HELP RESTORE SOIL BY IMPROVING SOIL
STRUCTURE, ORGANIC MATTER CONTENT & WATER HOLDING CAPACITY.
EFFECTS OF SOIL BIOTECHNOLOGY ON ARCHITECTURE
SOIL BIOTECHNOLOGY HAS INDIRECT EFFECTS ON ARCHITECTURE BY INFLUENCING THE
DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDING IN TERMS OF SUSTAINABILITY, MATERIAL
CHOICES & ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS. IT EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF
INTEGRATING NATURAL ELEMENTS LIKE GREEN ROOFS, GREEN WALLS, ETC. INTO URBAN
ENVIRONMENT. THE MOST IMPORTANT IMPACT OF SOIL BIOTECHNOLOGY ON
ARCHITECTURE IS WASTE WATER MANAGEMNT. POOR WASTE WATER MANAGEMENT
CAN LEAD TO UNHYGENIC ENVIRONMENT, WATER LOGGING, WATER POLLUTION,
SPREAD OF HARMFUL DISEASES, SOIL & GROUND WATER CONTAMINATIO, ETC. SOIL
BIOTECHNOLOGY PROVIDES AN ENERGY EFFICIENT & EFFECTIVE WASTE WATER
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. IT HELPS IN MANAGEMENT OF SEWAGE WATER WITHOUT
LEAVING BACK ANY SLUDGE & ALSO HELPS IN IMPROVEMENT OF NATURAL ECOSYSTEM.

WORKING OF SOIL BIOTECHNOLOGY PLANT

• SOIL BIOTECHNOLOGY (SBT) IS BASED ON BIOGEOCHEMICAL CONVERSION
PROCESS OF ORGANIC SOLIDS WHERE FUNDAMENTAL REACTIONS OF NATURE
LIKE, RESPIRATION, PHOTOSYNTHESIS & MINERAL WEATHERING TAKE PLACE IN A
CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT.
• SBT SYSTEMS ARE TYPICALLY BUILT IN RCC OR STONE MASONARY. WASTE WATER
FLOWS THROUGH AN UNDERDRAIN LAYER, ABOVE WHICH LIES A LAYER OF
FERTILE SOIL WITH PLANTS PLANTED IN IT.
• WATER FIRST PASSES THROUGH THE TOP LAYER OF THE SOIL AND SUBSEQUENTLY
FLOWS DOWN TO UNDERDRAIN.
• HERE THE MICROBIAL BACTERIA & ORGANISMS LIKE EARTHWORMS INFUSED IN
THIS LAYER OF SOIL BREAK DOWN THE ORGANIC MATTER IN WATER.
• THIS ORGANIC MATTER IS CONVERTED TO NUTRIENTS & ENZYMES IN THE FORM
OF MANURE WHICH FURTHER HELPS IN KEEPING THE SOIL FERTILE.
• AFTER PASSING THROUGH THIS LAYER OF SOIL, WATER PASSES THROUGH
DIFFERENT LAYES OF ROCKS & HDPE MEMBRANE WHICH REMOVE THE EXCESS
WASTE PARTICLES LEFT BEHIND IN THE SOIL.
• THEN THIS PURIFIED WATER PASSES TO THE STORAGE TANKS WITH THE HELP OF
PIPES WHERE IT IS STORED & PASSED ON FOR FURTHER USE.
• THIS PROCESS TAKES NEARLY 6-7 HRS AND CAN BE DONE IN DIFFERENT BATCHES
OR ALSO CAN BE DONE ON CONTINUOUS BASED ON THE SCALE & CAPACITY
OF THE PLANT.
• IT IS A COMPLETE MAINTENANCE FREE SYSTEM AND ALSO DOES NOT PRODUCE
ANY SLUDGE & FOUL ODOUR.
CONSTRUCTION OF SOIL BIOTECHNOLOGY (SBT) PLANT
• FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF SOIL BIO TECHNOLOGY PLANT, CERTAIN CRITERIAS
HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED LIKE, USER REQUIREMENT, LOCATION ON SITE, SITE
PREPERATION, PLANNING & DESIGNING, FUTURE EXPANSION, ETC. THE ACTUAL
CONSTRUCTION IS RATHER ECONOMICAL & SIMPLE PROCESS.
• THE CONSTRUCTION BEGINS WITH THE PLACEMENT OF SEWAGE WATER &
PURIFIED WATER COLLECTION TANK. BOTH THE TANKS ARE PLACED ON EITHER
SIDES OF THE BIOREACTOR.
• THE SITE SELECTED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS PLANT IS PROPERLY LEVELED.
THE PLACE WHERE THE BIOREACTOR WILL BE PLACED IS THEN CONCRETED TO
AVOID WATER PURCULATION INTOTHE GROUND. A BUND WALL IS
CONSTRUCTED TO CREATE AN ENCLOSED AREA & TRENCH IS DUG JUST BESIDE
IT TO COLLECT THE PURIFIED WATER.
• THEN BIG BOULDERS & ROCKS ARE PLACED IN THE BOTTOMMOST PART WHERE
PIPES ARE LAID TO PASS THE PURIFIED WATER INTO THE STORAGE TANK. THEN
FINER ROCKS ARE POURED ON TOP OF IT TO FURTHER FILL IN THE GAPS & CREATE
A LAYER OF SMALL ROCKS. THIS PART IS CALLED THE UNDER-DRAIN.
• FERTILE SOIL IS THEN POURED ON TOP OF THESE ROCKS CREATING A BIG LAYER
OF PLANTER BED WHERE THE PLANTS & TREES WILL BE PLANTED.
• LONG & NARROW TRENCHES ARE CREATED IN THIS LAYER FOR THE
PURCULATION OF WATER. PLANTS AND TREES ARE PLANTED IN AN ORGANISED
MANNER & ON EQUAL DISTANCES.
• THEN THE PIPELINE OF SEWAGE WATER IS LAID NEAR THESE TRENCHES. THIS PIPES
HAVE PUNCTURES IN THEM TO CREATE A CHANELISED FLOW OF SEWAGE WATER.
THIS PIPES ARE ATTACHED TO PUMPS WHICH ARE CONTROLLED FROM A ROOM
OR FACILITY NEARBY TO THIS PLANT.
• AFTER THE PROCESS OF PURIFICATION, WATER COLLECTED IN THE STORAGE
TANKS IS THEN CIRCULATED TO USE IN VARIOUS PURPOSES.
CASESTUDIES
1. DLF REAL ESTATE GARDEN, GURGAON

CLIENT: DLF REAL ESTATE GROUP

PROJECT TYPE: CAMUS SBT TYPE STP

YEAR: 2015

AREA: 200 SQ.M

CAPACITY: 75 CUBIC M / DAY

FEATURES:

• PROJECT INSTALLED IN A RESIDENTIAL MASS-HOUSING AREA.

• PRIMARY, SECONDARY TREATEMENT, ADMINISTRATIVE & CONTROL ROOM ALL
FACILITIES ARE RCC STRUCTURES.
• POWER REQUIREMENT IS 0.2 kWh/KL
• WATER USED FOR GARDENING, LANDSCAPE, CAR WASHING, ROAD CLEANING
& FLUSHING.

RESULTS: ACCORDING TO THE WATER TESTS, LOW AMOUNT OF BOD (BIOCHEMICAL

OXYGEN DEMAND) & COD(CHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND) IN THE PURIFIED WATER
MAKES IT SUITABLE FOR LANDSCAPING & GARDENING USE WITHOUT CAUSING ANY
DAMAGE OR HARM TO THE PLANTS.

2. PLANT ON THE BANKS OF HEROHALLI LAKE BANGLORE

CLIENT: BRUHAT BENGALURU MAHANAGARA PALIKE

PROJECT TYPE: CAMUS SBT TYPE STP

YEAR: 2011

AREA: 1650 SQ.M

CAPACITY: 1400 CUBIC M / DAY

FEATURES:

• PROJECT WAS PROPOSED BY TASK FORCE OF BENGALURU CITY FOR QUALITY

ASSUARANCE IN PUBLIC CONSTRUCTION.
• MAIN USE IS FOR THE RESTORATION OF THE DRYING LAKE.
• 1.4 MLD SEWAGE IS SEPERATED FROM 8 MLD INFLOW WHICH CONTAINS THE
EFFLUENTS FROM TEXTILE INDUSTRY IN NEARBY VICINITY.
• ALL THE FACILITIES ARE RCC STRUCTURES.
• POWER REQUIREMENT IS LESS THAN 0.1 kWh / KL, MAKING IT A VERY ENERGY
EFFICIENT PROJECT ON A LARGE SCALE.

RESULTS: ACCORDING TO THE WATER TESTS, LOW AMOUNT OF BOD (BIOCHEMICAL

OXYGEN DEMAND) & COD (CHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND) IN THE PURIFIED WATER
MAKES IT SUITABLE TO DISCHARGE IT INTO THE LAKE, THUS HELPING IN ITS RESTORATION.

COMPARITIVE STUDY & CONCLUSION

• ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES ARE INCORPORATED IN ANY BUILDING DESIGN TO
ENSURE PROPER WORKING OF BUILDING, COMFORT OF THE OCCUPANTS,
SAFETY OF BUILDING, ETC. WATER BEING THE MOST CRUCIAL PART OF LIFE, WASTE
WATER MANAGEMENT PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN ARCHITECTURE.
• POOR OR IMPROPER WASTE WATER MANAGEMENT PRACTICES MAY CAUSE
LITTERING, WATER LOGGING, HEALTH & SAFETY CONCERNS, ETC, THUS
DEGRADING THE VISUAL APPEAL & APPEARANCE OF THE SPACE.
• THERE ARE VARIOUS WAYS OF WASTE WATER MANAGEMENT LIKE SEWAGE
TREATEMENT PLANTS (STPs), SEPTIC TANKS, WATER TREATEMENT THROUGH
WETLANDS, SOIL BIOTECHNOLOGY, ETC.
• STPs & SEPTIC TANKS ARE SOME OF THE MOST COMMONLY USED WASTE WATER
TREATEMENT METHODS. THEY CAN BE INSTALLED IN A LIMITED SPACE AS WELL AS
ON A LARGE SCALE.
• A LOT OF RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS OR COMPLEXES CAN BE SEEN
USING THIS METHOD. BUT EVEN BEING MOST COMMONLY USED, IT HAS ITS
DRAWBACKS.
• STPs INCLUDE A COMPLEX METOD OF TREATING WASTE WATER WHICH REQUIRE
THEM TO USE A LOT OF ENERGY TO PERFORM CERTAIN PROCESSES.
 • THEY ALSO REQUIRE TIMELY SERVICING & MAINTENANCE MAKING THEM COSTLY
TO USE.
• ALSO THEY ARE NOT THE MOST EFFECTIVE AS THEY PRODUCE SLUDGE AS THE
BYPRODUCT WHICH IS ALSO REQUIRED TO BY MANAGED AND LEAVE OUT
ODOUR SMELL DUE TO THE GASES PRODUCED IN THE PROCESS.
• ON THE OTHER HAND, SOIL BIOTECHNOLOGY IS A VERY ECONOMICAL,
EFFICIENT & SUSTAINABLE METHOD OF WASTE WATER TREATEMENT.
• THEY ARE VERY INEXPENSIVE TO CONSTRUCT & REQUIRE ALMOST NO
MAINTAINANCE BECAUSE THE PROCESS INVOLVED IS COMPLETELY NATURAL.
• ALSO THEY REUIRE VERY LESS ENERGY, AS ELECTRICTY IS ONLY REQUIRE TO PUMP
WATER IN & OUT OF THE PLANT. ALL OTHER PROCESSES DON’T REQUIRE ENERGY.
• THIS PROCESS DOESNOT LEAVE ANY FOUL ODOUR OR LEAVE BACK ANY SLUDGE
AS ALL THE ORGANIC MATTER IS BROKEN DOWN & CONVERTED TO MANURE IN
THE SOIL, THUS ALSO INCREASING THE FERTILITY OF THE SOIL.

BIBLOGRAPHY
• https://www.slideshare.net/UtsavChaudhury/soil-biotechnology-architectural-
environment-sciences
• http://sugam.in/soilbiotechnology.html
• http://sugam.in/case_study.html
• http://www.visionearthcare.com/case-studies
• https://www.cseindia.org/soil-bio-technology-sbt-3774
• https://www.commonfloor.com/guide/soil-biotechnology-for-sewage-
treatment-1675.html
• https://openai.com/
• https://youtu.be/iZl8WCT-BCQ
• https://youtu.be/p4vU5XluqOw
• https://youtu.be/bxVk337ni78
• https://youtu.be/zhkO_hchlpw
• https://youtu.be/F7YKvhjNWsk