Effect of Nanobubble Technology and Conventional Aeration System on Water Quality Parameters

Consequent to a rapid increase in anthropogenic activities, Sukhna Lake in India has experienced severe contamination and eutrophication, particularly during the summer months, due to which the treatment of its water is indispensable. The current study aims to distinguish the two water treatment technologies to tackle the challenges associated with the lake in terms of high suspended solids and declining dissolved oxygen levels, which leads to increased turbidity and overloading of nutrients. The investigation provides a unique design specified approach to treat the lake water by nanobubble technology and directly compare its performance with conventional aeration under identical dissolved oxygen saturation levels. The physicochemical parameters of water samples, including pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, total nitrogen, ammonia, total phosphorus, and total coliforms, were tested and analyzed until the dissolved oxygen (DO) of the water became 6 parts per million (ppm). The analysis of results demonstrated that nanobubble technology achieved an over 85% reduction in biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), 75% reduction in chemical oxygen demand (COD), and 100% removal of nutrients and total coliform. Turbidity levels decreased significantly, from 43 to 8 Nephelometric turbidity units (NTU), using nanobubble treatment. The unique properties of nanobubbles, such as their stability and prolonged presence in water, play a crucial role in oxidizing pollutants, essential for improving water quality. In contrast, the results obtained from normal aeration showed ineffective treatment over extended periods and solicited continuous operation to mitigate these issues.