93.With reference to bio-toilets used by the Indian
Railways, consider the following statements:
- The decomposition of human waste in the bio-toilets is initiated by a fungal inoculums.
- Ammonia and water vapour are the only end products in this decomposition which are
released into the atmosphere.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
The correct answer is Neither 1 nor 2.
- The bio-toilets
- It was developed by the railways and the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO).
- It has a colony of anaerobic bacteria, kept in a container under the lavatories that convert human waste into water and small amounts of gases. Hence statement 1 is incorrect.
- The water is discharged onto the track after chlorination and the gases are released into the atmosphere.
- Each toilet’s bio-digester tank is stocked with inoculums containing four different varieties of bacteria under the DRDO’s bio-toilet idea.
- The toilet’s water trap mechanism keeps air from entering the tank, anaerobic bacteria process human waste in the tank’s seven chambers, and methane gas is permitted to escape into the atmosphere.
- After the completion of this process, only methane, carbon dioxide gases and water remain. These gases are left in the environment whereas water can be recycled and used in toilets again. Hence statement 2 is not correct.
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