Wastewater characteristics differ greatly between industries. As a result, the specific characteristics will dictate the treatment techniques that will be used, to meet the compliance discharge requirements.
Because, of the large number of pollutants, the characteristics of each substance are generally not considered. Pollutant or characteristic classes are created for materials that have similar pollution effects.
In this blog, we will understand some of the basic concepts of the chemical parameters of wastewater.
What are the Chemical parameters of wastewater?
Following chemical characteristics of wastewater affect the operation of different types of treatment processes:
1: pH value: The pH of wastewater is tested to determine whether it is acidic or alkaline in nature. In general, fresh sewage is alkaline in nature (its pH value is between 7.3-7.5).
However, as time passes, the pH value decreases due to the production of acids by bacterial action, and the sewage becomes acidic. When it is relatively stable after oxidation, it becomes alkaline again.
2: Chlorides Content: Because, chlorides are mineral salts, they are unaffected by the biological action of sewage. Chlorides in natural water are caused by the leaching of chloride-containing rocks and soils, into the water.
Chlorides in domestic sewage are derived from kitchen wastes, human feces, and urinary discharges, among other things. Excreta from humans, for example, contain about 6 g of chlorides per person per day.
3: Nitrogen Contents: The presence of nitrogen in wastewater indicates that it contains organic matter. Nitrogen is required for the growth of Protista and plants and is thus classified as a nutrient or bio-stimulant.
Nitrogen data is required to evaluate the treatability of waste water by biological processes, because nitrogen is an essential building element in protein synthesis.
It appears in five different forms in wastewater:
· Ammonia nitrogen or free ammonia
· Organic nitrogen
· Albuminoidal nitrogen
· Nitrites nitrogen, and
· Nitrates nitrogen
4: Fats, Grease and Oils: Hexane or ether dissolves fats, grease, mineral oils, and lubricating oils. To determine their content, a sample of wastewater is first treated with dilute hydrochloric acid, which causes fatty acids to be liberated.
After that, the latter are evaporated. The residue is mixed with ether. When the ether is removed, the ether-soluble matter that remains is the fats, grease, and oil content.
5: Surfactants: Surfactants are mostly derived from synthetic detergents. These are emitted by bathrooms, kitchens, and washing machines, among other places.
Surfactants (also known as surface-active agents) are large organic molecules, which contribute to foaming in wastewater treatment. As a result, wastewater aeration is hampered.
6: Toxic Compounds:Copper, lead, silver, chromium, arsenic, and boron are some of the cations that are toxic to microorganisms, and cause biological treatment plants to malfunction.
These are the by-products of industrial wastewater. Some toxic anions present in some industrial wastes, such as cyanides and chromates, also impede wastewater treatment facilities. As a result, their presence should be considered when designing treatment plants.
7: Sulphates, Sulphides and H2S Gas:Sulphates and sulphides are formed as a result of the breakdown of various sulphur-containing substances, found in wastewater. Sulphate ions (SO4) are naturally present in most water supplies, and thus in wastewater.
8: Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD):The COD test can be used to determine the organic matter content of both wastewater and natural waters.
COD can be determined in 3 hours as opposed to 5 days for BOD testing. A strong chemical oxidising agent is used in an acidic medium, to measure the oxygen equivalent of organic matter that can be oxidised in a COD test.
An acidic oxidation with potassium dichromate is used in the COD test. The sample is treated with a measured amount of potassium dichromate. The acidified sample is then boiled for 2 hours, cooled, and the amount of dichromate remaining is determined using ferrous ammonium sulphate titration.
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A wide variety of wastewater treatment options are offered by Netsol Water, including phosphorus removal, odour control, clarifying, sludge dewatering, chlorination/de-chlorination, physico-chemical and biological treatment of wastewater, etc.
For the most difficult water treatment or wastewater treatment demands of a wide spectrum of clients, including individual businesses, corporations, and local government agencies, Netsol combines cutting-edge technology with decades of experience.
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