Post-treatment of municipal wastewater using zeolite pervious concrete

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Zeolite Pervious Concrete (ZPC) as a post-treatment method for improving discharged wastewater quality from the Parkand Abad Wastewater Treatment Plant (PAWWTP) with a focus on how varying ZPC compositions and canal lengths affect the removal of contaminants from wastewater. A large-scale prototype was constructed with eleven canals of varying lengths (1–3 m) filled with different ZPC mixtures, where limestone aggregate was partially replaced with zeolite (0–100 % by volume). Wastewater was continuously pumped through these canals, and quality parameters of wastewater were measured over time. The experimental setup was validated through consistent flow rates and multiple sampling points over 17 days, ensuring reliable data collection. Results showed that longer canals and higher zeolite content improved post-treatment efficiency. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal initially reached 45 % but decreased to below 10 % over time. Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total suspended solids (TSS), and total nitrogen (TN) removal rates were promising, with over 80 %, 70 %, and 50 % removal initially. TP was fully removed initially and remained at 70 % by the experiment's end. These findings are significant as they demonstrate ZPC's potential as an effective, low-cost post-treatment method for wastewater. The study highlights the importance of optimizing ZPC composition and canal length for maximum contaminant removal, while also identifying areas for improvement such as reducing cement content and implementing regular maintenance to enhance long-term performance. • ZPC effectively removed up to 50 % COD, 85 % BOD, and 79 % TSS from wastewater. • Canal length (>2 m) had a greater impact than zeolite content on contaminant removal. • ZPC achieved 60 % TN removal and >70 % TP removal over 384 h of operation. • pH increased to 10–11 due to cement-wastewater interaction, affecting removal efficiency. • SEM-EDS confirmed pollutant adsorption and microbial growth on ZPC surfaces.