Bovine Wastewater Effluent Trial

Introduction

Industrial livestock production necessitates an efficient waste management system to dispose of the manure or make use of its by-products. Bovine farmers face an ever-increasing demand to reduce odors and nutrient excesses associated with waste streams. These factors must also be balanced against the demands placed on supplying a rising market need for bovine products. Equally important are the regulatory requirements and public pressure to steer away from using harsh chemicals towards more natural alternatives.

Typically, bovine waste is managed by strategies that rely on existing microbes to consume organic matter and break it down into sludge and liquid. These native bacteria are often inefficient at total waste digestion, or at preventing the large amount of noxious odors generated. Traditional chemical treatments may remain in the effluent and render the waste less suitable for discharge or field irrigation or create an additional removal step that proves costly.

To help industrial bovine farms meet the legal and environmental limits by combating malodors and increasing organic matter degradation, CHEMTECH has scientifically selected a microbial blend that treats this specific waste and meets reduction goals. The results are safer conditions for operators, healthier animals, and cleaner land and waterways.

Trial Purpose

A trial was conducted at a third-party facility on raw industrial bovine production effluent. The goal was to confirm the effectiveness of CHEMTECH’s proprietary bacterial cultures for reducing BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand), along with ammonia and hydrogen sulfide odors.

Dosing

The test compared the effects of a 1ppm (part per million) dose, and the product’s recommended initial 5ppm dose of CHEMTECH’s highly concentrated powder, BWT 100B (Bovine Waste Treatment).

Testing

The trial was performed on raw bovine wastewater effluent samples after solids separation under conditions matching the facility management strategy.

Samples were maintained in Erlenmeyer bioreactors with temperature and pressure control, and no aeration or agitation was provided. Ammonia, BOD, and hydrogen sulfide levels were quantified at test initiation, 24-hours, and then every 48-hours over 15 days using Hach spectrophotometric methodology. Each data point was derived from a 10-sample average.

Results

The graphed data in Figures 1, 2, and 3 to the right show the dramatic reduction of ammonia, BOD, and hydrogen sulfide levels when the field samples were treated with the recommended initial 5ppm dose of CHEMTECH’s specially formulated bacteria blend. While still exhibiting positive results, the 1ppm treatment resulted in a lesser reduction of the three tested parameters. As displayed in these charts, the microbial consortium in CHEMTECH’s BWT 100B 5ppm dose reduced the level of ammonia by 93 percent, BOD by 94 percent, and hydrogen sulfide by 85 percent.

Summary

The results of this trial prove the effectiveness of CHEMTECH’s BWT 100B microbial blend as a powerful tool in the natural approach to address concerns of industrial bovine wastewater effluent. The improved performance shown using a 5ppm dose over 1ppm highlights the importance of proper dosing for achieving maximum benefits. Waste treated with a higher dose confirms a steep decline in all three bovine waste challenges within 48 hours of the study initiation. At study completion on Day 15, this treatment shows significant reduction to levels more suitable for environmental release, or field irrigation without any harsh chemical treatment.

The impressive results of this third-party trial support the long history of positive outcomes experienced by CHEMTECH customers in bovine waste applications.