TREATMENT OF ALLIGATOR FARM WASTE-WATER USING LAND APPLICATION

Treatment of an aquacultural wastewater from alligator farms in Louisiana using land application was investigated. Wastewater from alligator farms resembled municipal domestic wastewater in high biological oxygen demand (BOD5) and P concentrations but contained twice the N content due to the high excretion of ammonia by alligators. Land application using overland flow consistently removed BOD5 and N over a 20 day application period. First-order removal rates for the pollutants were: total soluble P = 0.009/min, BOD5 = 0.017/min, ammonia = 0.023/min and organic N = 0.027/min. Optimal detention times for a range of discharge limits were calculated assuming first-order removal of the pollutants. P isotherms were used to estimate the lifetime of the treatment system's ability to sorb P. Design calculations using current EPA design criteria indicate that an area of 0.16 ha (approx. 0.4 acres) is needed to treat wastewater from a typical alligator farm. Land application was found to be a viable technique for treating this high-strength wastewater.