Wastewater Treatment in Baghdad City Using Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) Technology

Abstract

In this study, a laboratory scale system of Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor(MBBR) was used to treat municipal wastewater from a domestic community inBaghdad City to get the water free from BOD for reuse in the irrigation ordischarge to the river. The aim of the described experimentation was thecomparison of a low cost MBBR and an activated sludge system (AS); the otheraim from this research is to derive successful MBBR wastewater reuse projects inIraq. Laboratory experiments were conducted in two parts, firstly at BOD5 load ofabout (150-200) mg/l, filling ratio of plastic elements in the MBBR reactor was40%. Aerobic reactor consumed most of the biodegradable organic matter. TheBOD5 removal efficiencies were 78 and 90% for MBBR & AS respectively.Second part when BOD5 load about (900-1300) mg/l used (synthetic wastewater)،filling ratio is 67%. The removal efficiencies of BOD reached 73 % for AS andabout 88% for MBBR.