GRAPHICAL PRESENTATION OF THE TRANSFORMATION OF SOME NUTRIENTS IN A WASTE-WATER STABILIZATION POND SYSTEM

In order to evaluate the transformation processes of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in a wastewater stabilization pond system visually and quantitatively, material transformation graphics of these three elemen ts are produced from the ecological model of a pond system. The model was established by the authors based on their own experimental experie nces. The results of the analyses of these graphics indicate that the removal rates of carbon are closely related to its transformation quan tities; the mechanisms of the wastewater stabilization pond and its di fference from the traditional biological treatment system are interpre ted further in this study. The study shows that the major characterist ics of a pond system beyond the traditional biological treatment syste m are that the pond system possesses a longer food chain which makes t he system more stable and maintains a perfect relationship between bac teria and algae which makes good oxygen and nutrient cycling. Removal of nitrogen and phosphorus mainly depends on the nutrient assimilation of bacteria and algae, since microbial biomass is limited in the pond system, very high removal rates of nitrogen and phosphorus should not be expected using a stabilization pond.