SUSTAINABLE WASTEWATER TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES: ADVANCEMENTS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN NIGERIA

Martin O. Agbili, Victor O. Okonkwo

Abstract


The global challenge of managing wastewater is becoming more urgent, driven by climate change, rapid urban growth, and rising environmental concerns. As urban populations grow and industries expand, traditional wastewater treatment methods, such as activated sludge processes and chemical treatments, remain widely used. While these methods effectively reduce pollutants, they often consume a lot of energy, rely on significant chemical inputs, and create byproducts that can harm the environment. Their dependence on fossil fuels and chemicals results in a substantial environmental footprint, worsening climate change, water pollution, and resource depletion issues. In response, there is a global trend toward more sustainable wastewater treatment technologies that offer environmentally friendly and resource-efficient options. Technologies like constructed wetlands, biological filtration systems, and resource recovery methods are gaining attention for their ability to improve upon traditional systems. These innovative solutions utilize natural processes, such as microbial degradation and plant-based filtration, to treat wastewater effectively while recovering valuable resources like nutrients, biogas, and clean water. These methods can lessen the environmental impact of wastewater treatment, cut operational costs, and support a circular approach to resource use by recycling nutrients, water, and energy.  

 

Keywords: Environmental Sustainability, Wastewater Treatment, Climate Change, Green Infrastructure, Urbanization, Biological Filtration  


Full Text:

PDF

References


Adewumi, J. R., Ilemobade, A. A., & van Zyl, J. E. (2018). Sustainable wastewater reuse in urban areas: A review of current practices and challenges in sub-Saharan Africa. Water SA, 44(4), 627, 637. https://doi.org/10.4314/wsa.v44i4.14

Brix, H. (1997). Do macrophytes play a role in constructed treatment wetlands? Water Science and Technology, 35(5), 11, 17. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0273-1223(97)00047-4

Choudhary, M. P., Chauhan, G. S., & Kushwah, Y. (2015). Environmental degradation: Causes, impacts, and mitigation. Conference: National Seminar on Recent Advancements in Protection of Environment and its Management Issues (NSRAPEM-2015) at Maharishi Arvind College of Engineering and Technology, Kota, Rajasthan, India.

Eze, S. C. (2020). Constructed wetlands as sustainable wastewater treatment systems: Case studies from Nigeria. Journal of Environmental Management, 41(3), 67, 78.

Fuchs, W., Rosenthal, E., & Müller, J. (2019). Resource recovery in wastewater treatment: Case studies from Europe. Environmental Engineering Science, 36(2), 123, 134.

Igbinosa, E. O., & Okoh, A. I. (2017). Application of biological filtration systems in Nigerian wastewater treatment plants. Environmental Technology, 38(6), 775, 785.

James, D. M., & Michael, H. (2017). The impacts of urbanization and climate change on urban flooding and urban water quality: A review of the evidence concerning the United Kingdom. Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies, 12 (2017), 345, 362.

Kadlec, R. H., & Wallace, S. D. (2009). Treatment wetlands (2nd ed.). CRC Press.

Kagimba, G. H., Ndyali, A., & Kiwelu, A. (2021). Integration of sustainable wastewater treatment technologies in East African cities: Challenges and prospects. Journal of Environmental Engineering, 41(7), 903, 915.

Langergraber, G. (2013). Are constructed treatment wetlands sustainable sanitation solutions? Water Science and Technology, 67(10), 2133, 2140. https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2013.109

Lettinga, G. (2001). Sustainable development in water and sanitation: The role of anaerobic treatment. Water Science and Technology, 44(6), 181, 188. https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2001.0566

Moelants, N., Awuah, E., & Buamah, R. (2008). Sustainable wastewater treatment: Which technologies do we need? 33rd WEDC International Conference, Accra, Ghana. https://wedc- knowledge.lboro.ac.uk/resources/conference/33/Moelants_N.pdf

Ng, W. J., Tan, Y. H., & Leong, P. S. (2017). Biological filtration systems for wastewater treatment: A review of innovations and practices. Water Science and Technology, 75(5), 1037, 1050.

Obi, C. O., Odoemelam, S. A., & Agbo, L. O. (2018). Feasibility of resource recovery from wastewater in developing countries: Nigerian case study. Water Research, 52, 212, 222.

Ogunjimi, L. O., Odu, A. T., & Odu, E. T. (2022). Scaling constructed wetlands for large urban areas: A Nigerian perspective. Waste Management & Research, 40(1), 45, 53.

Smith, J. A., & Scott, C. A. (2017). Energy and environmental trade-offs in wastewater treatment: An overview of sustainability issues and solutions. Environmental Science & Technology, 51(4), 1795, 1801. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6b03840

Tchobanoglous, G., Burton, F. L., Stensel, H. D., & Metcalf & Eddy, Inc. (2014). Wastewater engineering: Treatment and resource recovery (5th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.

United Nations Water. (2020). World water development report 2020: Water and climate change. https://www.unwater.org/publications/world-water-development-report-2020

Vymazal, J. (2011). Constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment: Five decades of experience. Environmental Science & Technology, 45(1), 61, 69. https://doi.org/10.1021/es101403q

Vymazal, J. (2013). The role of constructed wetlands in water treatment and sustainable wastewater management. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 20(1), 1, 10.

Zhang, H., Liu, Y., & Chen, H. (2018). Resource recovery from wastewater: Technologies and applications for sustainable development. Environmental Technology Reviews, 7(4), 314, 328.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2025 JOURNAL OF INVENTIVE ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (JIET)



Copyright  2020-2024. Journal of Inventive Engineering (JIET). All rights reserved. Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Awka Branch.ISSN: 2705-3865

Powered by Myrasoft Systems Ltd.