COMPARATIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF LAKE SAPROPELS AND BOTTOM SEDIMENTS IN SYSTEMS WITH NATURAL AERATION

The article presents the results of studies of systems with natural aeration (NAS) used for the treatment of domestic wastewater in the countries of Central Asia, both in cities and in small settlements. NAS of artificial and natural origin, with depths of 2.0-4.0 m were studied. It was shown that in their hydrological characteristics NAS are close to natural reservoirs of the lake-pond complex - eutrophic lakes. It has been established that during the operation bottom sediments accumulate in them, the greatest thickness of which is noted in the initial part of the NAS. The formation of bottom sediments occurs under anaerobic conditions with the active participation of bacterial microflora in the processes of mineralization. In terms of moisture, ash content and organic matter content, NAS bottom sediments are similar to sapropels of eutrophic lakes.