Comparative evaluation of biofilters using Eisenia foetida and Lumbricus terrestris for nitrogen and phosphorus removal in domestic wastewater under Andean climate conditions
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The performance of biofilters using Eisenia foetida and Lumbricus terrestris was evaluated for nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) removal from domestic wastewater under Andean climate conditions. The study was conducted at pilot scale using two parallel treatment units with a design flow rate of 0.30 m³/day per system. The system response (R) was defined as removal efficiency based on the ratio between influent and effluent concentrations. Monitoring was carried out over seven sampling campaigns from October 2019 to January 2020. Results showed that E. foetida achieved 40.38% phosphorus removal, while L. terrestris reached 33.97%. Nitrogen removal efficiencies were 33.70% and 35.09%, respectively. Statistical analysis using Student’s t-test indicated significant differences only for phosphorus (p=0.028), while no significant differences were observed for nitrogen (p=0.524). It is concluded that E. foetida is more efficient for phosphorus removal, while nitrogen removal is mainly influenced by hydraulic conditions.
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