IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v17y2020i9p3296-d355713.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Application of Process Intensification in the Treatment of Pit Latrine Sludge from Informal Settlements in Blantyre City, Malawi

Author

Listed:
  • Khumbo Kalulu

    (Department of Environmental Health, University of Malawi, Faculty of Applied Sciences, P/Bag 303, Chichiri, Blantyre 3, 312225, Malawi)

  • Bernard Thole

    (Department of Physics and Biochemical Sciences, University of Malawi, Faculty of Applied Sciences, P/Bag 303, Chichiri, Blantyre 3, 312225, Malawi)

  • Theresa Mkandawire

    (Department of Civil Engineering, University of Malawi, Faculty of Engineering, P/Bag 303, Chichiri, Blantyre 3, 312225, Malawi)

  • Grant Kululanga

    (Department of Civil Engineering, University of Malawi, Faculty of Engineering, P/Bag 303, Chichiri, Blantyre 3, 312225, Malawi)

Abstract

Many developing countries lack the infrastructure needed for the treatment of fecal sludge. One limitation in implementing available treatment options is the limited availability of land in the urban areas of these countries. This paper investigated the application of process intensification as a way of reducing the land area required to dewater and sanitize pit latrine sludge from informal settlements in Blantyre City, Malawi. The intensification of the sludge treatment process was achieved by enhancing dewatering through the application of additives and by combining the dewatering and sanitization stages. Nine combinations of sludge, lime and rice husk dosages, in addition to a control, were simultaneously loaded on unplanted drying bed units to dewater for 29 days. The study found a significant reduction of 21% to 73% in the land area required to dewater and sanitize pit latrine sludge. From the study, process intensification was shown to have the potential to significantly reduce the land area required to dewater and sanitize pit latrine sludge from informal settlements in Malawi cities. This makes it an option that can be implemented close to informal settlements, despite land limitation in these areas.

Suggested Citation

  • Khumbo Kalulu & Bernard Thole & Theresa Mkandawire & Grant Kululanga, 2020. "Application of Process Intensification in the Treatment of Pit Latrine Sludge from Informal Settlements in Blantyre City, Malawi," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-14, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:9:p:3296-:d:355713
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/9/3296/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/9/3296/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. B. Keskinler & G. Akay & T. Pekdemir & E. Yildiz & A. Nuhoglu, 2004. "Process intensiļ¬cation in wastewater treatment: oxygen transfer characterisation of a jet loop reactor for aerobic biological wastewater treatment," International Journal of Environmental Technology and Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 4(3), pages 220-235.
    2. Achara Taweesan & Thammarat Koottatep & Kouassi Dongo, 2017. "Factors influencing the performance of faecal sludge management services: case study in Thailand municipalities," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 125-140, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.

      Corrections

      All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:9:p:3296-:d:355713. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

      If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

      If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

      If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

      For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

      Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

      IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.