Slaughterhouse wastewater is among the most environmentally hazardous wastewater. These waters are discharged into the environment without treatment. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of slaughterhouse wastewater on the purification performance of Echinochloa pyramidalis planted filters. During the study, slaughterhouse wastewater was collected in 10 l polystyrene bottles in 14-days intervals and then characterized for physicochemical and bacteriological parameters according to the standard protocol. Four planted filter treatment devices with Echinochloa pyramidalis were mounted with four different concentrations of slaughterhouse wastewater T1: 25% wastewater ＋ 75% tap water; T2: 50% wastewater 50% tap water; tap; T3: 75% wastewater ＋ 25% tap water and T4: 100% raw wastewater. The purification performances as well as the morphometric parameters were determined. The results obtained show values of MES (54115 ± 745 mg/L); nitrate (3225.75 ± 448.91 mg/L); COD (13592.17 ± 2007.31 mg/L) and CF (523,333.8 ± 35,555,909 CFU/100 mL) very high compared to the discharge standards. Treatment T1 showed the best performance. However, the values obtained are always above the standards. Hence, the need for optimization or post-treatment of slaughterhouse effluents to reduce as much as possible the pollutant loads of these wastewaters before their discharge.
Cite this paper
Armelle, N. N. , Atabong, P. A. , Toukam, G. M. S. , Djafna, E. , Tonfack, L. B. and Youmbi, E. (2025). Treatment of Slaughterhouse Effluents by Planted Filter with Echinochloa pyramidalis. Open Access Library Journal, 12, e3723. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1113723.
Goswami, K.P. and Pugazhenthi, G. (2020) Treatment of Poultry Slaughterhouse Wastewater Using Tubular Microfiltration Membrane with Fly Ash as Key Precursor. Journal of Water Process Engineering, 37, 101361. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2020.101361
Suwerda, B., Kasjono, H., Haryanti, S. and Yushananta, P. (2022) Poultry Slaughterhouse Wastewater Treatment Using Combine Anaerobic Filter with Constructed Wetland Methods. Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences, 10, 611-617. https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2022.8741
Ng, M., Dalhatou, S., Wilson, J., Kamdem, B.P., Temitope, M.B., Paumo, H.K., et al. (2022) Characterization of Slaughterhouse Wastewater and Development of Treatment Techniques: A Review. Processes, 10, Article 1300. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10071300
Aziz, A., Basheer, F., Sengar, A., Irfanullah,, Khan, S.U. and Farooqi, I.H. (2019) Biological Wastewater Treatment (Anaerobic-Aerobic) Technologies for Safe Discharge of Treated Slaughterhouse and Meat Processing Wastewater. Science of the Total Environment, 686, 681-708. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.05.295
Severin, M.M., Bill, V.B., Alexandre, R. and Dieudonne, B. (2023) Assessment of Wastewater Management at the Etoudi Slaughterhouse in the Municipality of Yaoundé-Cameroon. Interna-tional Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy, 11, 31-36.
Jia, S., Zhang, X., Miao, Y., Zhao, Y., Ye, L., Li, B., et al. (2017) Fate of Antibiotic Resistance Genes and Their Associations with Bacterial Community in Livestock Breeding Wastewater and Its Receiving River Water. Water Research, 124, 259-268. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2017.07.061
Masse, M.T., Samba Aloys, R.J. and Betbui, B.T. (2021) Profile of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Isolated from Slaughterhouse Effluents of Etoudi-Yaounde and Its Receiving Waterbody. In-ternational Journal of Health Sciences and Research, 11, 40-47. https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20210405
Roslan, M.Y., Debbra, M. and Tan, T.L. (2019) Characterization of Wastewater Quality from a Local Ruminant Abattoir in Banting, Selangor, Malaysia. Malaysian Journal of Veterinary Research, 10, 78-86.
Zanol, M.B., Lima, J.P.P., Assemany, P. and Aguiar, A. (2024) Assessment of Characteristics and Treatment Processes of Wastewater from Slaughterhouses in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Journal of Environmental Management, 358, Article 120862. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120862
Gutu, L., Basitere, M., Harding, T., Ikumi, D., Njoya, M. and Gaszynski, C. (2021) Multi-Integrated Systems for Treatment of Abattoir Wastewater: A Review. Water, 13, Article 2462. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13182462
Allen, D.J., Farrell, M., Huang, J., Reynolds, C., Rupasinghe, M. and Mosley, L.M. (2022) Long-Term Water Quality Response to Increased Hydraulic Loadings in a Field-Scale Free Water Surface Con-structed Wetland Treating Domestic Effluent. Journal of Environmental Management, 311, Article 114858. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.114858
Deng, J., Chen, Q., Hu, B., Li, W., Jia, M., Shi, Y., et al. (2021) Syn-ergic Effect of Adsorption and Biodegradation by Microsphere Immobilizing Bacillus Velezensis for Enhanced Removal Or-ganics in Slaughter Wastewater. Processes, 9, Article 1145. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9071145
Gupta, A.K., Fadzlillah, N.A., Sukri, S.J.M., Adediran, O.A., Rather, M.A., Naik, B., et al. (2024) Slaughterhouse Blood: A State-of-the-Art Review on Transforming By-Products into Valuable Nutritional Resources and the Role of Circular Economy. Food Bioscience, 61, Article 104644. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fbio.2024.104644
Kasak, K., Truu, J., Ostonen, I., Sarjas, J., Oopkaup, K., Paiste, P., et al. (2018) Biochar Enhances Plant Growth and Nutrient Removal in Horizontal Subsurface Flow Constructed Wetlands. Science of the Total Environment, 639, 67-74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.05.146
Miranda, M., Méndez, L., Pereira, V., Minervino, A.H.H. and López-Alonso, M. (2019) Iron Loading and Secondary Multi-Trace Ele-ment Deficiency in a Dairy Herd Fed Silage Grass Grown on Land Fertilized with Sewage Sludge. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 26, 36978-36984. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-06828-x
Minakshi, D., Sharma, P.K. and Rani, A. (2021) Effect of Filter Media and Hydraulic Retention Time on the Performance of Vertical Constructed Wet-land System Treating Dairy Farm Wastewater. Environmental Engineering Research, 27, Article 200436. https://doi.org/10.4491/eer.2020.436
Zanga, A.D., Ajeagah, G.A. and Ngassam, P. (2018) Etats des Lieux, Qualite PhysicoChimiques et Biologiques des Effluents de L’abattoir Industriel de Yaounde. European Journal of Scientific Research, 148, 412-424.
Hazra, M. and Durso, L.M. (2022) Performance Efficiency of Conventional Treatment Plants and Con-structed Wetlands towards Reduction of Antibiotic Resistance. Antibiotics, 11, Article 114. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics11010114
Tsalas, N., Golfinopoulos, S.K., Samios, S., Katsouras, G. and Peroulis, K. (2024) Optimization of Energy Consumption in a Wastewater Treatment Plant: An Overview. Energies, 17, Article 2808. https://doi.org/10.3390/en17122808
Pare, M.N., Koné, D., Kengne, I.M. and Akoa, A. (2011) Growth and Yield Potential of Echinochloa pyramidalis (Lam.) Hitchc & Chase: A Forage Plant Used in Verticalflow Constructed Wetlands in Cameroon. African Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 5, 622-632.
Sawadogo, B.J., Kone, M., Yamma, R., Nonet, S., Walhain, P., Kabore, R., et al. (2021) Evaluation of the Purification Performance of the Kossodo Wastewater Treatment Plant in Ouagadougou. Journal of Environmental Protection, 12, 1128-1143. https://doi.org/10.4236/jep.2021.1212066
Rajpal, A., Ali, M., Choudhury, M., Almohana, A.I., Alali, A.F., Munshi, F.M.A., et al. (2022) Abattoir Wastewater Treatment Plants in India: Understanding and Performance Evaluation. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 10, Article 881623. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2022.881623
Dang, H.V., Lam, H.Q. and Nguyen, L.M. (2025) Hybrid Constructed Wetlands for Tertiary Treatment of Poultry Slaughter Wastewater to Meet Quality Standards of Discharge and Reuse: A Full-Scale Case Study in Vietnam. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 197, Article No. 222. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-025-13624-3
Mburu, C., Kipkemboi, J. and Kimwaga, R. (2019) Impact of Substrate Type, Depth and Retention Time on Organic Matter Removal in Vertical Subsurface Flow Con-structed Wetland Mesocosms for Treating Slaughterhouse Wastewater. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Parts A/B/C, 114, Article 102792. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pce.2019.07.005
Rahimi, S., Modin, O., Roshanzamir, F., Neissi, A., Saheb Alam, S., Seelbinder, B., et al. (2020) Co-Culturing Bacillus Subtilis and Wastewater Microbial Community in a Bio-Electrochemical System Enhances Denitrification and Butyrate Formation. Chemical Engineering Journal, 397, Article 125437. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2020.125437
Maranho, L.T. and Gomes, M.P. (2024) Morphophysiological Adap-tations of Aquatic Macrophytes in Wetland-Based Sewage Treatment Systems: Strategies for Resilience and Efficiency under Environmental Stress. Plants, 13, Article 2870. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13202870
Chen, Z., Li, Y., Peng, Y., Mironov, V., Chen, J., Jin, H., et al. (2022) Feasibility of Sewage Sludge and Food Waste Aerobic Co-Composting: Physico-chemical Properties, Microbial Community Structures, and Contradiction between Microbial Metabolic Activity and Safety Risks. Science of the Total Environment, 825, Article 154047. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154047
Kengne, E.S., Letah Nzouebet, W.A., Wafo, G.V.D., Douanla Maffo, P. and Wanda, C. (2022) Combining Planted Drying Beds to Maturation Ponds at Pilot Scale for a Comprehensive Treat-ment of Faecal Sludge in Sub-Saharan Africa. Environmental Technology, 44, 4363-4370. https://doi.org/10.1080/09593330.2022.2091953
Keerthana, K. and Thivyatharsan, R. (2018) Constructed Wet-land for Slaughterhouse Wastewater Treatment. Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 12, 7-15. https://doi.org/10.4038/agrieast.v12i1.47
Shende, A.D. and Pophali, G.R. (2020) Anaerobic Treatment of Slaughter-house Wastewater: A Review. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 28, 35-55. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-10921-x
Al Kholif, M., Subianto, A. and Sutrisno, J. (2025) Effect of Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) in an Anaerobic Baffled Reactor (ABR) on the Reduction of BOD and COD in Slaughterhouse Industri-al Wastewater. Advances in Environmental Technology, 11, 1-12.
Zhao, Y., Ji, B., Liu, R., Ren, B. and Wei, T. (2020) Constructed Treatment Wetland: Glance of Development and Future Perspectives. Water Cycle, 1, 104-112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watcyc.2020.07.002
Sultana, M., Mourti, C., Tatoulis, T., Akratos, C.S., Tekerlekopoulou, A.G. and Vayenas, D.V. (2015) Effect of Hydraulic Retention Time, Temperature, and Organic Load on a Horizontal Subsur-face Flow Constructed Wetland Treating Cheese Whey Wastewater. Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology, 91, 726-732. https://doi.org/10.1002/jctb.4637
Aleksić, N., Nešović, A., šušteršič, V., Gordić, D. and Milovanović, D. (2020) Slaughterhouse Water Consumption and Wastewater Characteristics in the Meat Processing Industry in Serbia. De-salination and Water Treatment, 190, 98-112. https://doi.org/10.5004/dwt.2020.25745
Baker, B.R., Mohamed, R., Al-Gheethi, A. and Aziz, H.A. (2020) Advanced Technologies for Poultry Slaughterhouse Wastewater Treatment: A System-atic Review. Journal of Dispersion Science and Technology, 42, 880-899. https://doi.org/10.1080/01932691.2020.1721007
Okoye, N., Madubuike, C., Nwuba, I. and Orakwe, L. (2018) Growth and Treatment Performance of Three Macrophytes in a Pilot-Scale Horizontal Subsurface Flow Constructed Wetland for Slaughterhouse Wastewater. Archives of Current Research International, 14, 1-7. https://doi.org/10.9734/acri/2018/39333
Alam, R., Khan, S.U., Basheer, F. and Farooqi, I.H. (2021) Nutrients and Organics Removal from Slaughterhouse Wastewater Using Phytoremediation: A Comparative Study on Different Aquatic Plant Species. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 1058, Article 012068. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899x/1058/1/012068
Choudhury, M.I., Espenberg, M., Hauber, M.M., Kasak, K. and Hylander, S. (2024) Application of Floating Beds Constructed with Woodchips for Nitrate Removal and Plant Growth in Wetlands. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution, 235, Article No. 493. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-024-07275-2
