Fate of trace organic compounds during vadose zone soil treatment in an onsite wastewater system.

PubMed

Conn, Kathleen E; Siegrist, Robert L; Barber, Larry B; Meyer, Michael T

2010-02-01

During onsite wastewater treatment, trace organic compounds are often present in the effluents applied to subsurface soils for advanced treatment during vadose zone percolation and groundwater recharge. The fate of the endocrine-disrupting surfactant metabolites 4-nonylphenol (NP), 4-nonylphenolmonoethoxylate (NP1EO), and 4-nonylphenolmonoethoxycarboxylate (NP1EC), metal-chelating agents ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), antimicrobial agent triclosan, stimulant caffeine, and antibiotic sulfamethoxazole during transport through an unsaturated sandy loam soil was studied at a field-scale test site. To assess the effects of effluent quality and hydraulic loading rate (HLR) on compound fate in the soil profile, two effluents (septic tank or textile biofilter) were applied at two design HLRs (2 or 8 cm/d). Chemical concentrations were determined in the two effluents and soil pore water at 60, 120, and 240 cm below the soil infiltrative surface. Concentrations of trace organic compounds in septic tank effluent were reduced by more than 90% during transport through 240 cm (often within 60 cm) of soil, likely due to sorption and biotransformation. However, the concentration of NP increased with depth in the shallow soil profile. Additional treatment of anaerobic septic tank effluent with an aerobic textile biofilter reduced effluent concentrations of many compounds, but generally did not affect any changes in pore water concentrations. The soil profile receiving septic tank effluent (vs. textile biofilter effluent) generally had greater percent removal efficiencies. EDTA, NP, NP1EC, and sulfamethoxazole were measured in soil pore water, indicating the ability of some trace organic compounds to reach shallow groundwater. Risk is highly dependent on the degree of further treatment in the saturated zone and the types and proximity of uses for the receiving groundwater environment. Copyright 2009 SETAC.

An Assessment of the Model of Concentration Addition for Predicting the Estrogenic Activity of Chemical Mixtures in Wastewater Treatment Works Effluents

PubMed Central

Thorpe, Karen L.; Gross-Sorokin, Melanie; Johnson, Ian; Brighty, Geoff; Tyler, Charles R.

2006-01-01

The effects of simple mixtures of chemicals, with similar mechanisms of action, can be predicted using the concentration addition model (CA). The ability of this model to predict the estrogenic effects of more complex mixtures such as effluent discharges, however, has yet to be established. Effluents from 43 U.K. wastewater treatment works were analyzed for the presence of the principal estrogenic chemical contaminants, estradiol, estrone, ethinylestradiol, and nonylphenol. The measured concentrations were used to predict the estrogenic activity of each effluent, employing the model of CA, based on the relative potencies of the individual chemicals in an in vitro recombinant yeast estrogen screen (rYES) and a short-term (14-day) in vivo rainbow trout vitellogenin induction assay. Based on the measured concentrations of the four chemicals in the effluents and their relative potencies in each assay, the calculated in vitro and in vivo responses compared well and ranged between 3.5 and 87 ng/L of estradiol equivalents (E2 EQ) for the different effluents. In the rYES, however, the measured E2 EQ concentrations in the effluents ranged between 0.65 and 43 ng E2 EQ/L, and they varied against those predicted by the CA model. Deviations in the estimation of the estrogenic potency of the effluents by the CA model, compared with the measured responses in the rYES, are likely to have resulted from inaccuracies associated with the measurement of the chemicals in the extracts derived from the complex effluents. Such deviations could also result as a consequence of interactions between chemicals present in the extracts that disrupted the activation of the estrogen response elements in the rYES. E2 EQ concentrations derived from the vitellogenic response in fathead minnows exposed to a series of effluent dilutions were highly comparable with the E2 EQ concentrations derived from assessments of the estrogenic potency of these dilutions in the rYES. Together these data support the use of bioassays for determining the estrogenic potency of WwTW effluents, and they highlight the associated problems for modeling approaches that are reliant on measured concentrations of estrogenic chemicals. PMID:16818252

Characteristics of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Effluent Load from a Paddy-field District Implementing Crop Rotation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hama, Takehide; Aoki, Takeru; Osuga, Katsuyuki; Nakamura, Kimihito; Sugiyama, Sho; Kawashima, Shigeto

Implementation of collective crop rotation in a paddy-field district may increase nutrients effluent load. We have investigated a paddy-field district implementing collective crop rotation of wheat and soybeans, measured temporal variations in nutrients concentration of drainage water and the amount of discharged water for consecutive three years, and estimated nutrients effluent load from the district during the irrigation and non-irrigation periods. As a result, the highest concentration of nutrients was observed during the non-irrigation period in every investigation year. It was shown that high nutrients concentration of drainage water during the non-irrigation period was caused by runoff of fertilizer applied to wheat because the peaks of nutrients concentration of drainage water were seen in rainy days after fertilizer application in the crop-rotation field. The effluent load during the non-irrigation periods was 16.9-22.1 kgN ha-1 (nitrogen) and 0.84-1.42 kgP ha-1 (phosphorus), which respectively accounted for 46-66% and 27-54% of annual nutrients effluent load.

Effects of spray-irrigated treated effluent on water quantity and quality, and the fate and transport of nitrogen in a small watershed, New Garden Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schreffler, Curtis L.; Galeone, Daniel G.; Veneziale, John M.; Olson, Leif E.; O'Brien, David L.

2005-01-01

An increasing number of communities in Pennsylvania are implementing land-treatment systems to dispose of treated sewage effluent. Disposal of treated effluent by spraying onto the land surface, instead of discharging to streams, may recharge the ground-water system and reduce degradation of stream-water quality. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PaDEP) and the Chester County Water Resources Authority (CCWRA) and with assistance from the New Garden Township Sewer Authority, conducted a study from October 1997 through December 2001 to assess the effects of spray irrigation of secondary treated sewage effluent on the water quantity and quality and the fate and transport of nitrogen in a 38-acre watershed in New Garden Township, Chester County, Pa. On an annual basis, the spray irrigation increased the recharge to the watershed. Compared to the annual recharge determined for the Red Clay Creek watershed above the USGS streamflow-gaging station (01479820) near Kennett Square, Pa., the spray irrigation increased annual recharge in the study watershed by approximately 8.8 in. (inches) in 2000 and 4.3 in. in 2001. For 2000 and 2001, the spray irrigation increased recharge 65-70 percent more than the recharge estimates determined for the Red Clay Creek watershed. The increased recharge was equal to 30-39 percent of the applied effluent. The spray-irrigated effluent increased base flow in the watershed. The magnitude of the increase appeared to be related to the time of year when the application rates increased. During the late fall through winter and into the early spring period, when application rates were low, base flow increased by approximately 50 percent over the period prior to effluent application. During the early spring through summer to the late fall period, when application rates were high, base flow increased by approximately 200 percent over the period prior to effluent application. The spray-irrigated effluent affected the ground-water quality of the shallow aquifer differently on the hilltop and hillside topographic settings of the watershed where spray irrigation was being applied (application area). Concentrations of nitrate-nitrogen (nitrate N) and chloride (Cl) in the effluent were higher than concentrations of these constituents in shallow ground water from wells on the hilltop and hillside prior to start of spray irrigation. In water from wells on the hilltop, concentrations of nitrate N and Cl increased in samples collected during effluent application compared to samples collected prior to effluent application. Also, increasing trends in concentration of these two constituents were evident through the study period. In water from wells on the hillside, which were on the eastern part of the application area, nitrate N and Cl concentrations increased in samples collected during effluent application compared to samples collected prior to effluent application. Also, increasing trends in concentration of these two constituents were evident through the study period. However, on the hillside of the western application area, the ground-water quality was not affected by the spray-irrigated effluent because of the greater thickness of unconsolidated material and higher amounts of clay present in those unconsolidated sands. Although nitrate N concentrations increased in water from hilltop and hillside wells in the application area, the nitrate N concentrations were below the effluent concentration. A combination of plant uptake, biological activity, and denitrification may be the processes accounting for the lower nitrate N concentrations in shallow ground water compared to the spray-irrigated effluent. Cl concentrations in water from hilltop western application area well Ch-5173 increased during the study period but were an order of magnitude less than the input effluent concentration. Cl concentrations in shallow ground water in the e

Influence of multi-industrial activities on trace metal contamination: an approach towards surface water body in the vicinity of Dhaka Export Processing Zone (DEPZ).

PubMed

Ahmed, Golam; Miah, M Arzu; Anawar, Hossain M; Chowdhury, Didarul A; Ahmad, Jasim U

2012-07-01

Industrial wastewater discharged into aquatic ecosystems either directly or because of inadequate treatment of process water can increase the concentrations of pollutants such as toxic metals and others, and subsequently deteriorate water quality, environmental ecology and human health in the Dhaka Export Processing Zone (DEPZ), the largest industrial belt of 6-EPZ in Bangladesh. Therefore, in order to monitor the contamination levels, this study collected water samples from composite effluent points inside DEPZ and the surrounding surface water body connected to effluent disposal sites and determined the environmental hazards by chemical analysis and statistical approach. The water samples were analysed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to determine 12 trace metals such as As, Ag, Cr, Co, Cu, Li, Ni, Pb, Se, Sr, V and Zn in order to assess the influence of multi-industrial activities on metal concentrations. The composite effluents and surface waters from lagoons were characterized by a strong colour and high concentrations of biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, electrical conductivity, pH, total alkalinity, total hardness, total organic carbon, Turb., Cl(-), total suspended solids and total dissolved solids, which were above the limit of Bangladesh industrial effluent standards, but dissolved oxygen concentration was lower than the standard value. The measurement of skewness and kurtosis values showed asymmetric and abnormal distribution of the elements in the respective phases. The mean trend of variation was found in a decreasing order: Zn > Cu > Sr > Pb > Ni > Cr > Li > Co > V > Se > As > Ag in composite industrial effluents and Zn > Cu > Sr > Pb > Ni > Cr > Li > V > As > Ag > Co > Se in surface waters near the DEPZ. The strong correlations between effluent and surface water metal contents indicate that industrial wastewaters discharged from DEPZ have a strong influence on the contamination of the surrounding water bodies by toxic metals. The average contamination factors were reported to be 0.70-96.57 and 2.85-1,462 for industrial effluents and surface waters, respectively. The results reveal that the surface water in the area is highly contaminated with very high concentrations of some heavy/toxic metals like Zn, Pb, Cu, Ni and Cr; their average contamination factors are 1,460, 860, 136, 74.71 and 4.9, respectively. The concentrations of the metals in effluent and surface water were much higher than the permissible limits for drinking water and the world average concentrations in surface water. Therefore, the discharged effluent and surface water may create health hazards especially for people working and living inside and in the surrounding area of DEPZ.

Colour removal and carbonyl by-production in high dose ozonation for effluent polishing.

PubMed

Mezzanotte, V; Fornaroli, R; Canobbio, S; Zoia, L; Orlandi, M

2013-04-01

Experimental tests have been conducted to investigate the efficiency and the by-product generation of high dose ozonation (10-60 mg O3 L(-1)) for complete colour removal from a treated effluent with an important component of textile dyeing wastewater. The effluent is discharged into an effluent-dominated stream where no dilution takes place, and, thus, the quality requirement for the effluents is particularly strict. 30, 60 and 90 min contact times were adopted. Colour was measured as absorbance at 426, 558 and 660 nm wavelengths. pH was monitored throughout the experiments. The experimental work showed that at 50 mg L(-1) colour removal was complete and at 60 mg O3 L(-1) the final aldehyde concentration ranged between 0.72 and 1.02 mg L(-1). Glyoxal and methylglyoxal concentrations were directly related to colour removal, whereas formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acetone and acrolein were not. Thus, the extent of colour removal can be used to predict the increase in glyoxal and methylglyoxal concentrations. As colour removal can be assessed by a simple absorbance measurement, in contrast to the analysis of specific carbonyl compounds, which is much longer and complex, the possibility of using colour removal as an indicator for predicting the toxic potential of ozone by-products for textile effluents is of great value. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Isolation, Identification and Characteristic Analysis of an Oil-producing Chlorella sp. Tolerant to High-strength Anaerobic Digestion Effluent].

PubMed

Yang, Chuang; Wang, Wen-guo; Ma, Dan-wei; Tang, Xiao-yu; Hu, Qi-chun

2015-07-01

A Chlorella strain tolerant to high-strength anaerobic digestion effluent was isolated from the anaerobic digestion effluent with a long-term exposure to air. The strain was identified as a Chlorella by morphological and molecular biological methods, and named Chlorella sp. BWY-1, The anaerobic digestion effluent used in this study was from a biogas plant with the raw materials of swine wastewater after solid-liquid separation. The Chlorella regularis (FACHB-729) was used as the control strain. The comparative study showed that Chlorella sp, BWY-Ihad relatively higher growth rate, biomass accumulation capacity and pollutants removal rate in BG11. and different concentrations of anaerobic digestion effluent. Chlorella sp. BWY-1 had the highest growth rate and biomass productivity (324.40 mg.L-1) in BG11, but its lipid productivity and lipid content increased with the increase of anaerobic digestion effluent concentration, In undiluted anaerobic digestion effluent, the lipid productivity and lipid content of Chlorella sp. BWY-1 were up to 44. 43% and 108. 70 mg.L-1, respectively. Those results showed that the isolated algal strain bad some potential applications in livestock wastewater treatment and bioenergy production, it could be combined with a solid-liquid separation, anaerobic fermentation and other techniques for processing livestock wastewater and producing biodiesel.

CALCIPROTEIN PARTICLE FORMATION IN PERITONEAL DIALYSIS EFFLUENT IS DEPENDENT ON DIALYSATE CALCIUM CONCENTRATION.

PubMed

Cai, Michael M; Smith, Edward R; Kent, Annette; Huang, Louis; Hewitson, Tim D; McMahon, Lawrence P; Holt, Stephen G

2018-05-23

The accumulation of fetuin-A-containing calciprotein particles (CPP) in the serum of patients with renal disease and those with chronic inflammation may be involved in driving sterile inflammation and extraosseous mineral deposition. We previously showed that both fetuin-A and CPP were present in the peritoneal dialysis (PD) effluent of stable PD patients. It is unknown whether different PD fluids might affect the formation of CPP in vivo Method: Peritoneal effluent from 12 patients was collected after a 6-hour dwell with 7 different commercial PD fluids. Calciprotein particles and inflammatory cytokines were measured by flow cytometry. High inter-subject variability in CPP concentration was observed. Peritoneal dialysis fluids containing 1.75 mmol/L calcium were associated with enhanced formation of CPP in vivo , compared with fluids containing 1.25 mmol/L calcium. Osmotic agent, fluid pH, and glucose concentration did not affect CPP formation. Peritoneal dialysis effluent CPP levels were not associated with changes in inflammatory cytokines. High calcium-containing PD fluids favor intraperitoneal CPP formation. This finding may have relevance for future PD fluid design.

Occurrence and risk assessment of pharmaceutically active compounds in wastewater treatment plants. A case study: Seville city (Spain).

PubMed

Santos, J L; Aparicio, I; Alonso, E

2007-05-01

The occurrence of four anti-inflammatory drugs (diclofenac, ibuprofen, ketoprofen and naproxen), an antiepileptic drug (carbamazepine) and a nervous stimulant (caffeine) in influent and effluent samples from four wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Seville was evaluated. Removal rates in the WWTPs and risk assessment of the pharmaceutically active compounds have been studied. Analytical determination was carried out by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with diode array (DAD) and fluorescence (Fl) detectors after sample clean up and concentration by solid phase extraction. All pharmaceutically active compounds, except diclofenac, were detected not only in wastewater influents but also in wastewater effluents. Mean concentrations of caffeine, carbamazepine, ketoprofen and naproxen ranged between 0.28-11.44 microg l(-1) and 0.21-2.62 microg l(-1) in influent and effluent wastewater, respectively. Ibuprofen was present in the highest concentrations in the range 12.13-373.11 microg l(-1) and 0.78-48.24 microg l(-1) in influent and effluent wastewater, respectively. Removal rates of the pharmaceuticals ranged between 6 and 98%. Risk quotients, expressed as ratios between the measured environmental concentration (MEC) and the predicted no effect concentrations (PNEC) were higher than 1 for ibuprofen and naproxen in influent wastewater and for ibuprofen in effluent wastewater.

Anaerobic biodegradability and methanogenic toxicity of key constituents in copper chemical mechanical planarization effluents of the semiconductor industry.

PubMed

Hollingsworth, Jeremy; Sierra-Alvarez, Reyes; Zhou, Michael; Ogden, Kimberly L; Field, Jim A

2005-06-01

Copper chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) effluents can account for 30-40% of the water discharge in semiconductor manufacturing. CMP effluents contain high concentrations of soluble copper and a complex mixture of organic constituents. The aim of this study is to perform a preliminary assessment of the treatability of CMP effluents in anaerobic sulfidogenic bioreactors inoculated with anaerobic granular sludge by testing individual compounds expected in the CMP effluents. Of all the compounds tested (copper (II), benzotriazoles, polyethylene glycol (M(n) 300), polyethylene glycol (M(n) 860) monooleate, perfluoro-1-octane sulfonate, citric acid, oxalic acid and isopropanol) only copper was found to be inhibitory to methanogenic activity at the concentrations tested. Most of the organic compounds tested were biodegradable with the exception of perfluoro-1-octane sulfonate and benzotriazoles under sulfate reducing conditions and with the exception of the same compounds as well as Triton X-100 under methanogenic conditions. The susceptibility of key components in CMP effluents to anaerobic biodegradation combined with their low microbial inhibition suggest that CMP effluents should be amenable to biological treatment in sulfate reducing bioreactors.

Effect of pH and level of concentrate in the diet on the production of biohydrogenation intermediates in a dual-flow continuous culture.

PubMed

Fuentes, M C; Calsamiglia, S; Cardozo, P W; Vlaeminck, B

2009-09-01

Milk fat depression in cows fed high-grain diets has been related to an increase in the concentration of trans-10 C(18:1) and trans-10,cis-12 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in milk. These fatty acids (FA) are produced as a result of the alteration in rumen biohydrogenation of dietary unsaturated FA. Because a reduction in ruminal pH is usually observed when high-concentrate diets are fed, the main cause that determines the alteration in the biohydrogenation pathways is not clear. The effect of pH (6.4 vs. 5.6) and dietary forage to concentrate ratios (F:C; 70:30 F:C vs. 30:70 F:C) on rumen microbial fermentation, effluent FA profile, and DNA concentration of bacteria involved in lipolysis and biohydrogenation processes were investigated in a continuous culture trial. The dual-flow continuous culture consisted of 2 periods of 8 d (5 d for adaptation and 3 d for sampling), with a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Samples from solid and liquid mixed effluents were taken for determination of total N, ammonia-N, and volatile fatty acid concentrations, and the remainder of the sample was lyophilized. Dry samples were analyzed for dry matter, ash, neutral and acid detergent fiber, FA, and purine contents. The pH 5.6 reduced organic matter and fiber digestibility, ammonia-N concentration and flow, and crude protein degradation, and increased nonammonia and dietary N flows. The pH 5.6 decreased the flow of C(18:0), trans-11 C(18:1) and cis-9, trans-11 CLA, and increased the flow of trans-10 C(18:1), C(18:2n-6), C(18:3n-3), trans-11,cis-15 C(18:2) and trans-10,cis-12 CLA in the 1 h after feeding effluent. The pH 5.6 reduced Anaerovibrio lipolytica (32.7 vs. 72.1 pg/10 ng of total DNA) and Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens vaccenic acid subgroup (588 vs. 1,394 pg/10 ng of total DNA) DNA concentrations. The high-concentrate diet increased organic matter and fiber digestibility, nonammonia and bacterial N flows, and reduced ammonia-N concentration and flow. The high-concentrate diet reduced trans-11 C(18:1) and trans-10 C(18:1), and increased C(18:2n-6), C(18:3n-3) and trans-10,cis-12 CLA proportions in the 1 h after feeding effluent. The increase observed in trans-10,cis-12 CLA proportion in the 1 h after feeding effluent due to the high-concentrate diet was smaller that that observed at pH 5.6. Results indicate that the pH is the main cause of the accumulation of trans-10 C(18:1) and trans-10, cis-12 CLA in the effluent, but the trans-10,cis-12 CLA proportion can be also affected by high levels of concentrate in the diet.

Contaminants of emerging concern in a large temperate estuary.

PubMed

Meador, James P; Yeh, Andrew; Young, Graham; Gallagher, Evan P

2016-06-01

This study was designed to assess the occurrence and concentrations of a broad range of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) from three local estuaries within a large estuarine ecosystem. In addition to effluent from two wastewater treatment plants (WWTP), we sampled water and whole-body juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and Pacific staghorn sculpin (Leptocottus armatus) in estuaries receiving effluent. We analyzed these matrices for 150 compounds, which included pharmaceuticals, personal care products (PPCPs), and several industrial compounds. Collectively, we detected 81 analytes in effluent, 25 analytes in estuary water, and 42 analytes in fish tissue. A number of compounds, including sertraline, triclosan, estrone, fluoxetine, metformin, and nonylphenol were detected in water and tissue at concentrations that may cause adverse effects in fish. Interestingly, 29 CEC analytes were detected in effluent and fish tissue, but not in estuarine waters, indicating a high potential for bioaccumulation for these compounds. Although concentrations of most detected analytes were present at relatively low concentrations, our analysis revealed that overall CEC inputs to each estuary amount to several kilograms of these compounds per day. This study is unique because we report on CEC concentrations in estuarine waters and whole-body fish, which are both uncommon in the literature. A noteworthy finding was the preferential bioaccumulation of CECs in free-ranging juvenile Chinook salmon relative to staghorn sculpin, a benthic species with relatively high site fidelity. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Effects of drain wells on the ground-water quality of the western Snake Plain Aquifer, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moreland, Joe A.; Seitz, Harold R.; LaSala, Albert Mario

1976-01-01

Approximately 3,100 drain wells injects irrigation waste water, urban runoff, septic-tank effluent, and industrial waste water into the Snake Plain aquifer in Minidoka, Gooding, Jerome, and Lincoln Counties, Idaho. About 29,000 acre-feet of irrigation waste water, 100 acre-feet of urban runoff, 400 acre-feet of septic-tank effluent, and 1,000 acre-feet of industrial waste water are injected annually. The quality of irrigation waste water is highly variable, depending upon its source, method and rate of application, amount of fertilizer added, and other factors. The quality of urban runoff water is generally much better than irrigation waste water. Septic-tank effluent is relatively high in nutrient concentrations. Chloride concentrations also are high, and bacterial concentrations are exceedingly high. The only industrial waste water sampled during this study had been used for cooling. No chemical changes were noted, but temperature was significantly increased. The data indicate that drain-well inflow does move appreciable distances through the aquifer and can be detected in downgradient wells. (Woodard-USGS)

Integrated assessment of wastewater treatment plant effluent estrogenicity in the Upper Murray River, Australia, using the native Murray rainbowfish (Melanotaenia fluviatilis)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vajda, Alan M.; Kumar, Anupama; Woods, Marianne; Williams, Mike; Doan, Hai; Tolsher, Peter; Kookana, Rai S.; Barber, Larry B.

2016-01-01

The contamination of major continental river systems by endocrine-active chemicals (EACs) derived from the discharge of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents can affect human and ecosystem health. As part of a long-term effort to develop a native fish model organism for assessment of endocrine disruption in Australia's largest watershed, the Murray-Darling River Basin, the present study evaluated endocrine disruption in adult males of the native Australian Murray rainbowfish (Melanotaenia fluviatilis) exposed to effluent from an activated sludge WWTP and water from the Murray River during a 28-d, continuous-flow, on-site experiment. Analysis of the WWTP effluent and river water detected estrone and 17β-estradiol at concentrations up to approximately 25 ng L−1. Anti-estrogenicity of effluent samples was detected in vitro using yeast-based bioassays (yeast estrogen screen) throughout the experiment, but estrogenicity was limited to the first week of the experiment. Histological evaluation of the testes indicated significant suppression of spermatogenesis by WWTP effluent after 28 d of exposure. Plasma vitellogenin concentrations and expression of vitellogenin messenger RNA in liver were not significantly affected by exposure to WWTP effluent. The combination of low contaminant concentrations in the WWTP effluent, limited endocrine disrupting effects in the Murray rainbowfish, and high in-stream dilution factors (>99%) suggest minimal endocrine disruption impacts on native Australian fish in the Murray River downstream from the WWTP outfall. 

Occurrence of antibiotics in hospital, residential, and dairy effluent, municipal wastewater, and the Rio Grande in New Mexico.

PubMed

Brown, Kathryn D; Kulis, Jerzy; Thomson, Bruce; Chapman, Timothy H; Mawhinney, Douglas B

2006-08-01

This study had three objectives: 1) determine occurrence of antibiotics in effluent from hospitals, residential facilities, and dairies, and in municipal wastewater 2) determine antibiotic removal at a large wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Albuquerque, NM, and 3) determine concentrations of antibiotics in the Rio Grande, which receives wastewater from the Albuquerque WWTP. Twenty-three samples of wastewater and 3 samples of Rio Grande water were analyzed for the presence of 11 antibiotics. Fifty-eight percent of samples had at least one antibiotic present while 25% had three or more. Hospital effluent had detections of sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, lincomycin, and penicillin G, with 4 of 5 hospital samples having at least one antibiotic detected and 3 having four or more. At the residential sampling sites, ofloxacin was found in effluent from assisted living and retirement facilities, while the student dormitory had no detects. Only lincomycin was detected in dairy effluent (in 2 of 8 samples, at 700 and 6600 ng/L). Municipal wastewater had detections of sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, ciprofloxacin, and ofloxacin, with 4 of 6 samples having at least one antibiotic present and 3 having 3 or more. The relatively high concentrations (up to 35,500 ng/L) of ofloxacin found in hospital and residential effluent may be of concern due to potential genotoxic effects and development of antibiotic resistance. At the Albuquerque WWTP, both raw wastewater and treated effluent had detections of sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, and ofloxacin, at concentrations ranging from 110 to 470 ng/L. However, concentrations in treated effluent were reduced by 20% to 77%. No antibiotics were detected in the Rio Grande upstream of the Albuquerque WWTP discharge, and only one antibiotic, sulfamethoxazole, was detected in the Rio Grande (300 ng/L) below the WWTP.

Negative environmental impacts of antibiotic-contaminated effluents from pharmaceutical industries.

PubMed

Bielen, Ana; Šimatović, Ana; Kosić-Vukšić, Josipa; Senta, Ivan; Ahel, Marijan; Babić, Sanja; Jurina, Tamara; González Plaza, Juan José; Milaković, Milena; Udiković-Kolić, Nikolina

2017-12-01

Effluents from pharmaceutical industries are recognized as significant contributors to aquatic pollution with antibiotics. Although such pollution has been mostly reported in Asia, knowledge on industrial discharges in other regions of the world, including Europe, and on the effects associated with such exposures is still limited. Thus, we performed chemical, microbiological and ecotoxicological analyses of effluents from two Croatian pharmaceutical industries during four seasons. In treated effluents of the company synthesizing macrolide antibiotic azithromycin (AZI), the total concentration of AZI and two macrolide by-products from its synthesis was 1-3 orders of magnitude higher in winter and springtime (up to 10.5 mg/L) than during the other two seasons (up to 638 μg/L). Accordingly, the highest total concentrations (up to 30 μg/L) in the recipient river were measured in winter and spring. Effluents from second company formulating veterinary antibiotics contained fluoroquinolones, trimethoprim, sulfonamides and tetracyclines ranging from low μg/L to approx. 200 μg/L. Low concentrations of these antibiotics, from below the limit of quantification to approx. few μg/L, have also been measured in the recipient stream. High frequency of culturable bacteria resistant to AZI (up to 83%) or sulfamethazine (up to 90%) and oxytetracycline (up to 50%) were also found in studied effluents. Finally, we demonstrated that toxicity to algae and water fleas often exceeded the permitted values. Most highly contaminated effluents induced multiple abnormalities in zebrafish embryos. In conclusion, using a wide array of analyses we have demonstrated that discharges from pharmaceutical industries can pose a significant ecological and public health concern due to their toxicity to aquatic organisms and risks for promoting development and spread of antibiotic resistance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of SimpleTreat 4.0: Simulations of pharmaceutical removal in wastewater treatment plant facilities.

PubMed

Lautz, L S; Struijs, J; Nolte, T M; Breure, A M; van der Grinten, E; van de Meent, D; van Zelm, R

2017-02-01

In this study, the removal of pharmaceuticals from wastewater as predicted by SimpleTreat 4.0 was evaluated. Field data obtained from literature of 43 pharmaceuticals, measured in 51 different activated sludge WWTPs were used. Based on reported influent concentrations, the effluent concentrations were calculated with SimpleTreat 4.0 and compared to measured effluent concentrations. The model predicts effluent concentrations mostly within a factor of 10, using the specific WWTP parameters as well as SimpleTreat default parameters, while it systematically underestimates concentrations in secondary sludge. This may be caused by unexpected sorption, resulting from variability in WWTP operating conditions, and/or QSAR applicability domain mismatch and background concentrations prior to measurements. Moreover, variability in detection techniques and sampling methods can cause uncertainty in measured concentration levels. To find possible structural improvements, we also evaluated SimpleTreat 4.0 using several specific datasets with different degrees of uncertainty and variability. This evaluation verified that the most influencing parameters for water effluent predictions were biodegradation and the hydraulic retention time. Results showed that model performance is highly dependent on the nature and quality, i.e. degree of uncertainty, of the data. The default values for reactor settings in SimpleTreat result in realistic predictions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of pH control and concentration on microbial oil production from Chlorella vulgaris cultivated in the effluent of a low-cost organic waste fermentation system producing volatile fatty acids.

PubMed

Cho, Hyun Uk; Kim, Young Mo; Choi, Yun-Nam; Xu, Xu; Shin, Dong Yun; Park, Jong Moon

2015-05-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of applying volatile fatty acids (VFAs) produced from low-cost organic waste to the major carbon sources of microalgae cultivation for highly efficient biofuel production. An integrated process that consists of a sewage sludge fermentation system producing VFAs (SSFV) and mixotrophic cultivation of Chlorella vulgaris (C. vulgaris) was operated to produce microbial lipids economically. The effluents from the SSFV diluted to different concentrations at the level of 100%, 50%, and 15% were prepared for the C. vulgaris cultivation and the highest biomass productivity (433±11.9 mg/L/d) was achieved in the 100% culture controlling pH at 7.0. The harvested biomass included lipid contents ranging from 12.87% to 20.01% under the three different effluent concentrations with and without pH control. The composition of fatty acids from C. vulgaris grown on the effluents from the SSFV complied with the requirements of high-quality biodiesel. These results demonstrated that VFAs produced from the SSFV are favorable carbon sources for cultivating C. vulgaris. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effective decolorization and adsorption of contaminant from industrial dye effluents using spherical surfaced magnetic (Fe3O4) nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suriyaprabha, R.; Khan, Samreen Heena; Pathak, Bhawana; Fulekar, M. H.

2016-04-01

Treatment of highly concentrated Industrial dye stuff effluents released in the environment is the major issue faced in the era of waste management as well as in water pollution. Though there is availability of conventional techniques in large numbers, there is a need of efficient and effective advance technologies. In account of that, Nanotechnology plays a prominent role to treat the heavy metals, organic and inorganic contaminants using smart materials in nano regime (1 -100 nm). Among these nanomaterials like Iron Oxide (Fe3O4, magnetic nanoparticle) is one of the most promising candidates to remove the heavy metals from the industrial effluent. Fe3O4 is the widely used smart material with magnetic property having high surface area; high surface to volume ratio provides more surface for the chemical reaction for the surface adsorption. Fe3O4 nanoparticles have been synthesized using sonochemical method using ultra frequency in aqueous solution under optimized conditions. The as-synthesized nanoparticle was analyzed using different characterization tool. The Transmission Electron microscope (TEM) images revealed 10-12 nm spherical shape nanoparticles; crystal phase and surface morphology was confirmed by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), respectively. The functional group were identified by Fourier Transform-Infra Red Spectroscopy (FT-IR), revealed the bending and stretching vibrations associated with Iron Oxide nanoparticle. In present study, for the efficient removal of contaminants, different concentration (10-50 ppm) of dye stuff effluent has been prepared and subjected to adsorption and decolourization at definite time intervals with Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The concentration of Iron oxide and the time (45 mins) was kept fixed for the reaction whereas the concentration of dye stuff effluent was kept varying. It was found that the spherical shaped Fe3O4 proved to be the potential material for the adsorption of corresponding contaminants due to its highly active adsorbing surfaces. The result concluded that the effective adsorption and decolourization of contaminants is observed in different concentration with the maximum time period of 45 mins with the optimized concentration of Fe3O4.

Monitoring and evaluation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria at a municipal wastewater treatment plant in China.

PubMed

Huang, Jing-Jing; Hu, Hong-Ying; Lu, Sun-Qin; Li, Yi; Tang, Fang; Lu, Yun; Wei, Bin

2012-07-01

The prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is becoming a concern of public health. In order to acquire information on the emission of antibiotic-resistant bacteria from WWTP effluents into natural waters, both average antibiotic tolerance and concentrations of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the effluent of a WWTP in Beijing, China were investigated. A new index of IC(50)/MIC ratio (the antibiotic concentration required to inhibit 50% of total heterotrophic bacteria compared to the highest minimum inhibitory concentration value of a group of pathogens according to a specific antibiotic, as defined by CLSI) was used to reflect the average antibiotic tolerance of total heterotrophic bacteria in the secondary effluent. The results showed that the IC(50)/MIC ratios of heterotrophic bacteria in the secondary effluent to penicillin, ampicillin, cephalothin, chloramphenicol and rifampicin were >2, >1, >1, and 1.08, respectively, which reflected a significantly high general level of heterotrophic bacteria found in the secondary effluent resistant to these five antibiotics. The concentrations of penicillin-, ampicillin-, cephalothin-, and chloramphenicol-resistant bacteria were as high as 1.5×10(4)-1.9×10(5), 1.2×10(4)-1.5×10(5), 8.9×10(3)-1.9×10(5) and 2.6×10(4)-2.0×10(5) CFU/mL, and the average percentages in relation to total heterotrophic bacteria were 63%, 47%, 55%, and 69%, respectively. The concentrations of tetracycline- and rifampicin-resistant bacteria were 840-6.1×10(3) and 310-6.1×10(4) CFU/mL with average percentages of 2.6% and 11%, respectively. Furthermore, our study found that five- and six-antibiotic-resistant bacteria were widely distributed in four types of enterobacteria from the secondary effluent. The presence of multiple-antibiotic-resistant bacteria from effluents of WWTPs into natural waters could pose a serious problem as a secondary pollutant of drinking water. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Occurrence of betablockers in effluents of wastewater treatment plants from the Lyon area (France) and risk assessment for the downstream rivers.

PubMed

Miège, Cécile; Favier, Maxime; Brosse, Corinne; Canler, Jean-Pierre; Coquery, Marina

2006-11-15

Five betablockers (oxprenolol, metoprolol, propranolol, bisoprolol, betaxolol) were analysed in effluents collected over a 3-month period from wastewater treatment plants (WTP) from the Lyon area in France. The analytical protocol consisted of solid phase extraction of the dissolved aqueous phase on HLB cartridges and analysis by gas chromatography coupled with mass detection (GC-MS) after derivatization. Concentrations of metoprolol, propranolol and bisoprolol varied from 45 to 2838ng/L whereas oxprenolol and betaxolol were never detected in these effluent samples. A high variability of betablockers concentrations and fluxes was observed between WTP effluents and within each WTP over the time period studied. Considering a flux per person for a dry weather period, Fontaine plant was pointed out as the less efficient WTP, which might be explained by its type of treatment (biological aerated filters). But we need additional analysis of effluent and influent waters to confirm this hypothesis. A tentative approach of local environmental risk assessment of propranolol based on the calculation of PEC/PNEC (predicted environmental concentration/predicted non effect concentration) ratio approach lead us to conclude on a negligible risk for the downstream rivers (Rhône river at Ternay and Saône river at Couzon Mt d'Or).

Impact of tannery effluents on the aquatic environment of the Buriganga River in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

PubMed

Asaduzzaman, Mohammad; Hasan, Imtiaj; Rajia, Sultana; Khan, Nazneen; Kabir, Kazi Ahmed

2016-06-01

This study presents an overview of the existence and effects of six heavy metals, chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), manganese (Mn), and aluminum (Al), in tannery effluents released to the Buriganga River in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The pollutants were found in three different sources, such as effluents from tanneries, contaminated river water and three species of fish-climbing perch (Anabas testudineus), spotted snakehead (Channa punctata), and Black tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) caught from the river. Tannery effluents, water, and fish samples were collected from three different factories, five sample stations, and three different harvesting points, respectively. Effluents from all three factories contained significant amounts of heavy metals, especially Cr (374.19 ppm in average), whereas lesser amounts were found in the tissues of the three fish species studied. The trends in tissue elemental concentrations of fish were Cr > Pb > Al > Hg > Mn > Cd. In most cases (Cr, Cd, Mn, and Al), heavy metal concentrations were found to be greater in climbing perch than in Black tilapia and spotted snakehead. Although the river water contained high concentrations of harmful heavy metals, the fish species under study had concentrations well below the permissible Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization levels for those metals and seemed to be safe for human consumption. © The Author(s) 2014.

Effect of electroplating factory effluent on the germination and growth of hyacinth bean and mustard. [Dolichos lablab; Brassica compestris

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ajmal, M.; Khan, A.U.

The effect of electroplating factory effluent in different concentrations (viz., 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, and 4.0%) on the germination and growth of hyacinth beans (Dolichos lablab) and mustard seeds (Brassica compestris) was studied. The germination of seeds was delayed with the increase of effluent concentration and the germination of mustard seeds was totally inhibited at 1.5% effluent concentration while hyacinth bean seeds tolerated the effluent up to 2.5% concentration. The metal content in the hyacinth bean plants increased with increasing effluent concentration but after 1.0% effluent concentration, the concentration of all the metals (Ca,more » Mg, Na, K, Cu, Zn, Fe) decreased in the plants except Cr, which increased throughout. Percentage germination, fresh weight, dry weight, root length, and shoot length of the plants were also analyzed. Cd, Ni, Co, Mn, and Pb were not detectable in the hyacinth bean plants.« less

Effects of a Dam Reservoir on the Distribution of Heavy Metals in Two Chilean Native Freshwater Fish Species.

PubMed

Copaja, S V; Muñoz, G S; Nuñez, V R; Pérez, C; Vila, I; Véliz, D

2016-07-01

In order to determine the effect of a dam on metal concentrations in riverine fish species, we studied fish inhabiting the influent (Cachapoal River) and effluent (Rapel River) of the Rapel Reservoir in central Chile. Heavy metals were quantified in gills, liver and muscle of the catfish Trichomycterus areolatus and the silverside Basilichthys microlepidotus. Also, the bioaccumulation index (BAI) was estimated by considering heavy metal concentrations obtained from water and sediment. Results showed the presence of Al, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn in the fish organs. The analysis showed high metal concentrations in catfish inhabiting the influent compared to those collected in the effluent. These results indicate a possible filter effect of the dam for most of the metals identified in the fish organs, because metal concentrations decreased in the effluent. Finally, catfish exhibited a larger BAI for most metals analyzed.

Toxicity effects of nickel electroplating effluents treated by photoelectrooxidation in the industries of the Sinos River Basin.

PubMed

Benvenuti, T; Rodrigues, Mas; Arenzon, A; Bernardes, A M; Zoppas-Ferreira, J

2015-05-01

The Sinos river Basin is an industrial region with many tanneries and electroplating plants in southern Brazil. The wastewater generated by electroplating contains high loads of salts and metals that have to be treated before discharge. After conventional treatment, this study applied an advanced oxidative process to degrade organic additives in the electroplating bright nickel baths effluent. Synthetic rinsing water was submitted to physical-chemical coagulation for nickel removal. The sample was submitted to ecotoxicity tests, and the effluent was treated by photoelectrooxidation (PEO). The effects of current density and treatment time were evaluated. The concentration of total organic carbon (TOC) was 38% lower. The toxicity tests of the effluent treated using PEO revealed that the organic additives were partially degraded and the concentration that is toxic for test organisms was reduced.

UV light assisted decolorization of dark brown colored coffee effluent by photo-Fenton reaction.

PubMed

Tokumura, Masahiro; Ohta, Ayano; Znad, Hussein T; Kawase, Yoshinori

2006-12-01

The photochemical decolorization of coffee effluent has been examined by photo-Fenton (UV/Fe2+/H2O2) process. Effects of UV light intensity, initial coffee concentration, iron dose and H2O2 dose on the color removal of model coffee effluent have been investigated. The rate of decolorization increased with decreasing initial coffee effluent concentration. It was found that the Fe ion dose and UV light intensity enhanced the decolorization rate. The decolorization process of coffee effluent could be divided into three established phases. At the beginning of the photo-Fenton process, the instantaneous and significant increase in color of the solution was found (Phase-I). In the subsequent phase (Phase-II), the decolorization rate was initially fast and subsequently decreased. In Phase-III, the rate was accelerated and then the complete decolorization of model coffee effluent was achieved. In order to elucidate the mechanisms of coffee effluent color removal process, the concentration changes in Fe3+ and Fe2+ besides H2O2 were measured during the course of the photo-Fenton process. The rate-determining step in Phase-II was the photo-Fenton reaction or photoreduction of Fe3+. On the other hand, the decolorization process in Phase-III was highly affected by Fenton reaction or decomposition of H2O2 with Fe2+. About 93% mineralization of 250 mg L(-1) model coffee effluent was achieved after 250 min. A comparative study for TiO2, ZnO and photo-Fenton oxidation processes has been also carried out and the photo-Fenton process was found to be the most effective for color removal of coffee effluent.

Occurrence of neutral and acidic drugs in the effluents of Canadian sewage treatment plants.

PubMed

Metcalfe, Chris D; Koenig, Brenda G; Bennie, Don T; Servos, Mark; Ternes, Thomas A; Hirsch, Roman

2003-12-01

Samples of influent (untreated) and effluent (treated) from 18 sewage treatment plants (STPs) in 14 municipalities in Canada were analyzed for residues of selected prescription and nonprescription drugs. Several neutral and acidic drugs were detected in effluents, including analgesic/anti-inflammatory agents, lipid regulators, and an antiepileptic drug, carbamazepine. Residues were extracted from effluents by solid-phase extraction, followed by either methylation and analysis of acidic drugs by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry or direct analysis of neutral drugs by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. Analgesic/anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen, as well as the metabolite of acetylsalicyclic acid, salicylic acid, were often detected in final effluents at microg/L concentrations. The acidic lipid regulator, clofibric acid, and the analgesic/anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac were not detected in any final effluent samples, which is not consistent with data from Europe. The precursor to clofibric acid, clofibrate, is not widely prescribed as a lipid regulator in Canada. However, the lipid regulators bezafibrate and gemfibrozil were detected in some samples of influent and effluent. The chemotherapy drugs ifosfamide and cyclophosphamide and the anti-inflammatory phenazone were not detected in influent or effluent samples, but the vasodilator drug pentoxyfylline was detected at ng/L concentrations in some final effluents. The widespread occurrence of carbamazepine at concentrations as high as 2.3 microg/L may be explained by use of this drug for other therapeutic purposes besides treatment of epilepsy and its resistance to elimination in STPs. The rates of elimination of ibuprofen and naproxen appeared to be elevated in STPs with hydraulic retention times for sewage greater than 12 h.

Analysis of nitrosamines in water by automated SPE and isotope dilution GC/HRMS Occurrence in the different steps of a drinking water treatment plant, and in chlorinated samples from a reservoir and a sewage treatment plant effluent.

PubMed

Planas, Carles; Palacios, Oscar; Ventura, Francesc; Rivera, Josep; Caixach, Josep

2008-08-15

A method based on automated solid-phase extraction (SPE) and isotope dilution gas chromatography/high resolution mass spectrometry (GC/HRMS) has been developed for the analysis of nine nitrosamines in water samples. The combination of automated SPE and GC/HRMS for the analysis of nitrosamines has not been reported previously. The method shows as advantages the selectivity and sensitivity of GC/HRMS analysis and the high efficiency of automated SPE with coconut charcoal EPA 521 cartridges. Low method detection limits (MDLs) were achieved, along with a greater facility of the procedure and less dependence on the operator with regard to the methods based on manual SPE. Quality requirements for isotope dilution-based methods were accomplished for most analysed nitrosamines, regarding to trueness (80-120%), method precision (<15%) and MDLs (0.08-1.7 ng/L). Nineteen water samples (16 samples from a drinking water treatment plant {DWTP}, 2 chlorinated samples from a sewage treatment plant {STP} effluent, and 1 chlorinated sample from a reservoir) were analysed. Concentrations of nitrosamines in the STP effluent were 309.4 and 730.2 ng/L, being higher when higher doses of chlorine were applied. N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) were the main compounds identified in the STP effluent, and NDEA was detected above 200 ng/L, regulatory level for NDMA in effluents stated in Ontario (Canada). Lower concentrations of nitrosamines were found in the reservoir (20.3 ng/L) and in the DWTP samples (n.d. -28.6 ng/L). NDMA and NDEA were respectively found in the reservoir and in treated and highly chlorinated DWTP samples at concentrations above 10 ng/L (guide value established in different countries). The highest concentrations of nitrosamines were found after chlorination and ozonation processes (ozonated, treated and highly chlorinated water) in DWTP samples.

Micropollutants in source separated wastewater streams and recovered resources of source separated sanitation.

PubMed

Butkovskyi, A; Leal, L Hernandez; Zeeman, G; Rijnaarts, H H M

2017-07-01

The quality of anaerobic sludge and struvite from black water treatment system, aerobic sludge from grey water treatment system and effluents of both systems was assessed for organic micropollutant content in order to ensure safety when reusing these products. Use of anaerobic black water sludge and struvite as soil amendments is recommended based on the low micropollutant content. Aerobic grey water sludge is recommended for disposal, because of the relatively high micropollutant concentrations, exceeding those in sewage sludge. Effluents of black and grey water treatment systems require post-treatment prior to reuse, because the measured micropollutant concentrations in the effluents are above ecotoxicological thresholds. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of pulp mill effluent on benthic assemblages in mesocosms along the Saint John River, Canada.

PubMed

Culp, Joseph M; Cash, Kevin J; Glozier, Nancy E; Brua, Robert B

2003-12-01

We used mesocosms to examine the impact of different concentrations of pulp mill effluent (PME) on structural and functional endpoints of a benthic assemblage in the Saint John River (NB, Canada) during 1999 and 2000. Previous studies on this effluent's effects produced conflicting results, with field surveys suggesting a pattern of mild nutrient enrichment, while laboratory toxicity tests linked effluent exposure to moderate contaminant effects. Experimental treatments included three concentrations of sulfite pulp mill effluent (0, 5, 10% v/v PME). Endpoints for the assessment included algal biomass and taxonomic composition, benthic invertebrate abundance and composition, and insect emergence. Low concentrations of PME increased periphyton biomass and caused changes in community structure within the diatom-dominated community. Pulp mill effluent addition had little effect on several structural endpoints measured for benthic invertebrates, including abundance and taxonomic richness, but significantly changed community composition. For both periphyton and benthic invertebrates, community composition endpoints were more sensitive indicators of PME exposure. Insect emergence was a highly relevant functional endpoint. When benthic and emerged insects were combined, total abundance increased with PME addition. Results from two trophic levels, which provided multiple lines of evidence, indicated that the main impact of these PME concentrations is nutrient enrichment rather than effluent toxicity. Our findings also suggest that benthic invertebrate and periphyton assemblages, algal biomass production, and insect emergence are sensitive response measures. Future studies may confirm this observation. The consideration of both functional and structural endpoints at different trophic levels can greatly improve our understanding the effects of discharges to rivers. Such an understanding could not have been obtained using standard assessment techniques and illustrates the value of mesocosms and the benthic community assemblage approach in environmental assessment.

The impact of tertiary wastewater treatment on copper and zinc complexation.

PubMed

Constantino, C; Gardner, M; Comber, S D W; Scrimshaw, M D; Ellor, B

2015-01-01

Tightening quality standards for European waters has seen a move towards enhanced wastewater treatment technologies such as granulated organic carbon treatment and ozonation. Although these technologies are likely to be successful in degrading certain micro-organic contaminants, these may also destroy compounds which would otherwise complex and render metals significantly less toxic. This study examined the impact of enhanced tertiary treatment on the capacity of organic compounds within sewage effluents to complex copper and zinc. The data show that granulated organic carbon treatment removes a dissolved organic carbon (DOC) fraction that is unimportant to complexation such that no detrimental impact on complexation or metal bioavailability is likely to occur from this treatment type. High concentrations of ozone (>1 mg O3/mg DOC) are, however, likely to impact the complexation capacity for copper although this is unlikely to be important at the concentrations of copper typically found in effluent discharges or in rivers. Ozone treatment did not affect zinc complexation capacity. The complexation profiles of the sewage effluents show these to contain a category of non-humic ligand that appears unaffected by tertiary treatment and which displays a high affinity for zinc, suggesting these may substantially reduce the bioavailability of zinc in effluent discharges. The implication is that traditional metal bioavailability assessment approaches such as the biotic ligand model may overestimate zinc bioavailability in sewage effluents and effluent-impacted waters.

The role of calcium and sodium in toxicity of an effluent to mysid shrimp (Mysidopsis bahia)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kline, E.R.; Stekoll, M.S.

2000-01-01

The source of acute toxicity of an aged gold mill effluent to juvenile mysid shrimp (Mysidopsis bahia [Americamysis bahia]) was identified. Effluent osmolality was equivalent to that of 12 ppt seawater. At five effluent concentrations ranging from 4 to 100% (v/v), using 12 ppt seawater for dilution, the onset of responses was most rapid at 37% effluent. Simulated effluent was created by adding Na{sup +}, Ca{sup 2+}, Mg{sup 2+}, K{sup +}, Cl{sup {minus}}, and SO{sub 4}{sup 2{minus}} to distilled water at concentrations equal to those measured in the effluent. The unusual finding of a more rapid onset of responses atmore » 37% than at 100% effluent was duplicated with simulated effluent, demonstrating that responses of M. bahia to effluent were attributable to one or more of the six ions that were included in simulated effluent. Proportionally, excess Ca{sup 2+} and Na{sup +} concentrations in effluent and in simulated effluent, along with the results of the previous experiments, demonstrated that excess Ca{sup 2+} was the sole source of effluent toxicity and that Na{sup +} deficiency, relative to the proportion in seawater, reduced Ca{sup 2+} toxicity.« less

Irrigational impact of untreated and treated brewery-distillery effluent on seed germination of marigold (Tagetes erecta L.).

PubMed

Sharma, Anuradha; Malaviya, Piyush

2016-01-01

Current study presents the effect of irrigation with different concentrations (20, 40, 60, 80 and 100%) of untreated and treated brewery-distillery effluent on germination behaviour of marigold (Tagetes erecta L. var. Pusa Basanti). The 100% untreated effluent showed acidic pH (4.80) and higher values of BOD (1500.00 mg l(-1)), COD (4000.00 mg l(-1)), chloride (1742.20 mg l(-1)), TSS (900.00 mg l(-1)) as compared to that of treated effluent. Tagetes seeds were exposed to different concentrations of effluent and the results revealed maximum values of germination parameters viz., percent germination, peak value, germination value, germination index, speed of germination and vigour index at 20% untreated and 60% treated effluent concentrations, whereas the values for negative germination parameters viz., delay index, germination period and percent inhibition were minimum at 20% untreated and 60% treated effluent concentrations.

Thiocyanate, calcium and sulfate as causes of toxicity to Ceriodaphnia dubia in a hard rock mining effluent.

PubMed

Brix, Kevin V; Gerdes, Robert; Grosell, Martin

2010-10-01

A series of Toxicity Identification Evaluations (TIEs) to identify the cause(s) of observed toxicity to Ceriodaphnia dubia have been conducted on a hard rock mining effluent. Characteristic of hard rock mining discharges, the effluent has elevated (∼3000 mg l(-1)) total dissolved solids (TDS) composed primarily of Ca(2+) and SO(4)(2-). The effluent typically exhibits 6-12 toxic units (TUs) when tested with C. dubia. Phase I and II toxicity identification evaluations (TIEs) indicated Ca(2+) and SO(4)(2-) contributed only ∼4 TUs of toxicity, but this was likely an underestimate due to problems with simulating the supersaturated CaSO(4) concentrations in the effluent. Treatment of the effluent with BaCO(3) to precipitate Ca(2+) and SO(4)(2-) revealed that these ions contribute ∼6 TUs of the observed toxicity, but the remaining source(s) of toxicity (up to 6 TUs) remained unidentified. Subsequent investigations identified thiocyanate (SCN(-)) in the effluent at 100-150 μM. Toxicity tests reveal that C. dubia are sensitive to SCN(-) with an estimated IC25 of 8.3 μΜ for reproduction in moderately hard water suggesting between 12 and 18 TUs of toxicity in the effluent. Additional experiments demonstrated that SCN(-) toxicity is reduced in the high TDS matrix of the mining effluent. Testing of a mock effluent simulating the major ion and SCN(-) concentrations resulted in 10.4 TUs, suggesting that Ca(2+), SO(4)(2-) and SCN(-) are the three toxicants present in this effluent. This research suggests SCN(-) may be a more common cause of toxicity in mining effluents than is generally recognized. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 430.34 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... biocides are used must achieve the following effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent... shall be subject to concentration limitations. Concentration limitations are only applicable to non-continuous dischargers. Permittees not using chlorophenolic-containing biocides must certify to the permit...

40 CFR 430.14 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... biocides are used must achieve the following effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent... shall be subject to concentration limitations. Concentration limitations are only applicable to non-continuous dischargers. Permittees not using chlorophenolic-containing biocides must certify to the permit...

Pharmacokinetics of Intraperitoneal Cefalothin and Cefazolin in Patients Being Treated for Peritoneal Dialysis-Associated Peritonitis.

PubMed

Roberts, Darren M; Ranganathan, Dwarakanathan; Wallis, Steven C; Varghese, Julie M; Kark, Adrian; Lipman, Jeffrey; Roberts, Jason A

2016-01-01

♦ The standard treatment of peritoneal dialysis (PD)-associated peritonitis (PD-peritonitis) is intraperitoneal (IP) administration of antibiotics. Only limited data on the pharmacokinetics and appropriateness of contemporary dose recommendations of IP cefalothin and cefazolin exist. The aim of this study was to describe the pharmacokinetics of IP cefalothin and cefazolin in patients treated for PD-peritonitis. ♦ As per international guidelines, IP cefalothin or cefazolin 15 mg/kg once daily was dosed with gentamicin in a 6-hour dwell to patients with PD-peritonitis during routine care. Serial plasma and PD effluent samples were collected over the first 24 hours of therapy. Antibiotic concentrations were quantified using a validated chromatographic method with pharmacokinetic analysis performed using a non-compartmental approach. ♦ Nineteen patients were included (cefalothin n = 8, cefazolin n = 11). The median bioavailability for both antibiotics exceeded 92%, but other pharmacokinetic parameters varied markedly between antibiotics. Both antibiotics achieved high PD effluent concentrations throughout the antibiotic dwell. Cefazolin had a smaller volume of distribution compared with cefalothin (14 vs 40 L, p = 0.003). The median trough total plasma antibiotic concentration for cefazolin and cefalothin during the dwell differed (plasma 56 vs 13 mg/L, p < 0.0001) despite a similar concentration in PD effluent (37 vs 38 mg/L, p = 0.58). Lower antibiotic concentrations were noted during PD dwells not containing antibiotic, particularly cefalothin, which was frequently undetectable in plasma and PD effluent. The median duration that the unbound antibiotic concentration was above the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was approximately 13% (plasma) and 25% (IP) for cefalothin, and 100% (plasma and IP) for cefazolin, of the dosing interval. ♦ When IP cefalothin or cefazolin is allowed to dwell for 6 hours, sufficient PD effluent concentrations are present for common pathogens during this time. However, with once-daily IP dosing, in contrast to cefazolin, there is a risk of subtherapeutic plasma and PD effluent cefalothin concentrations, so more frequent dosing may be required. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis.

Treatment of textile dyehouse effluent using ceramic membrane based process in combination with chemical pretreatment.

PubMed

Bhattacharya, Priyankari; Ghosh, Sourja; Majumdar, Swachchha; Bandyopadhyay, Sibdas

2013-10-01

Treatment of highly concentrated dyebath effluent and comparatively dilute composite effluent having mixture of various reactive dyes collected from a cotton fabric dyeing unit was undertaken in the present study. Ceramic microfiltration membrane prepared from a cost effective composition of alumina and clay was used. Prior to microfiltration, a chemical pretreatment was carried out with aluminium sulphate in combination with a polymeric retention aid. An optimum dose of 100 mg/L of aluminium sulphate and 1 ml/L of a commercial flocculant Afilan RAMF was found effective for dye removal (> 98%) from the synthetic solutions of reactive dyes with initial concentration of 150 mg/L in both the single component and two component systems. In the microfiltration study, effect of operating pressure in the permeate flux was observed for both the pretreated and untreated effluents and permeate samples were analyzed for dye concentration, COD, turbidity, TSS, etc. during constant pressure filtration. About 98-99% removal of dyes was obtained in the combined process with COD reduction of 54-64%.

Determination and removal of antibiotics in secondary effluent using a horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland.

PubMed

Zhang, Chunhui; Ning, Ke; Zhang, Wenwen; Guo, Yuanjie; Chen, Jun; Liang, Chen

2013-04-01

Increased attention is currently being directed towards the potential negative effects of antibiotics and other PPCPs discharged into the aquatic environment via municipal WWTP secondary effluents. A number of analytical methods, such as high performance liquid chromatography technologies, including a high performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence method (HPLC-FLD), high performance liquid chromatography-UV detection method (HPLC-UV) and high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method (HPLC-MS), have been suggested as determination technologies for antibiotic residues in water. In this study, we implement a HPLC-MS/MS combined method to detect and analyze antibiotics in WWTP secondary effluent and apply a horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland (CW) as an advanced wastewater treatment for removing antibiotics in the WWTP secondary effluent. The results show that there were 2 macrolides, 2 quinolones and 5 sulfas in WWTP secondary effluent among all the 22 antibiotics considered. After the CW advanced treatment, the concentration removal efficiencies and removal loads of 9 antibiotics were 53-100% and 0.004-0.7307 μg m(-2) per day, respectively.

Spatio-temporal variations in the composition of organic matter in surface sediments of a mangrove receiving shrimp farm effluents (New Caledonia).

PubMed

Aschenbroich, Adélaïde; Marchand, Cyril; Molnar, Nathalie; Deborde, Jonathan; Hubas, Cédric; Rybarczyk, Hervé; Meziane, Tarik

2015-04-15

In order to investigate spatio-temporal variations in the composition and origin of the benthic organic matter (OM) at the sediment surface in mangrove receiving shrimp farm effluents, fatty acid (FA) biomarkers, natural stable isotopes (δ(13)C and δ(15)N), C:N ratios and chlorophyll-a (chl-a) concentrations were determined during the active and the non-active period of the farm. Fatty acid compositions in surface sediments within the mangrove forest indicated that organic matter inputs varied along the year as a result of farm activity. Effluents were the source of fresh particulate organic matter for the mangrove, as evidenced by the unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) distribution. The anthropogenic MUFA 18:1ω9 was not only accumulated at the sediment surface in some parts of the mangrove, but was also exported to the seafront. Direct release of bacteria and enhanced in situ production of fungi, as revealed by specific FAs, stimulated mangrove litter decomposition under effluent runoff condition. Also, microalgae released from ponds contributed to maintain high benthic chl-a concentrations in mangrove sediments in winter and to a shift in microphytobenthic community assemblage. Primary production was high whether the farm released effluent or not which questioned the temporary effect of shrimp farm effluent on benthic microalgae dynamic. This study outlined that mangrove benthic organic matter was qualitatively and quantitatively affected by shrimp farm effluent release and that responses to environmental condition changes likely depended on mangrove stand characteristics. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effective decolorization and adsorption of contaminant from industrial dye effluents using spherical surfaced magnetic (Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}) nanoparticles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Suriyaprabha, R., E-mail: sooriyarajendran@gmail.com; Khan, Samreen Heena; Pathak, Bhawana

2016-04-13

Treatment of highly concentrated Industrial dye stuff effluents released in the environment is the major issue faced in the era of waste management as well as in water pollution. Though there is availability of conventional techniques in large numbers, there is a need of efficient and effective advance technologies. In account of that, Nanotechnology plays a prominent role to treat the heavy metals, organic and inorganic contaminants using smart materials in nano regime (1 -100 nm). Among these nanomaterials like Iron Oxide (Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}, magnetic nanoparticle) is one of the most promising candidates to remove the heavy metals from themore » industrial effluent. Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} is the widely used smart material with magnetic property having high surface area; high surface to volume ratio provides more surface for the chemical reaction for the surface adsorption. Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles have been synthesized using sonochemical method using ultra frequency in aqueous solution under optimized conditions. The as-synthesized nanoparticle was analyzed using different characterization tool. The Transmission Electron microscope (TEM) images revealed 10-12 nm spherical shape nanoparticles; crystal phase and surface morphology was confirmed by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), respectively. The functional group were identified by Fourier Transform-Infra Red Spectroscopy (FT-IR), revealed the bending and stretching vibrations associated with Iron Oxide nanoparticle. In present study, for the efficient removal of contaminants, different concentration (10-50 ppm) of dye stuff effluent has been prepared and subjected to adsorption and decolourization at definite time intervals with Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles. The concentration of Iron oxide and the time (45 mins) was kept fixed for the reaction whereas the concentration of dye stuff effluent was kept varying. It was found that the spherical shaped Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} proved to be the potential material for the adsorption of corresponding contaminants due to its highly active adsorbing surfaces. The result concluded that the effective adsorption and decolourization of contaminants is observed in different concentration with the maximum time period of 45 mins with the optimized concentration of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}.« less

Effect of factory effluents on physiological and biochemical contents of Gossypium hirsutum l.

PubMed

Muthusamy, A; Jayabalan, N

2001-10-01

The effect of sago and sugar factory effluents was studied on Gossypium hirsutum L. var. MCU 5 and MCU 11. Plants were irrigated with 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% of effluents of both factories. At lower concentration (25%) of sugar factory effluents had stimulatory effect on all biochemical contents observed. Moreover, all concentration of sago factory effluents were found to have inhibitory effect on all biochemical contents except proline content which increased with increasing concentration of both the effluents. Plants growing on adjacent to sago and sugar factories or they irrigated with such type of polluted water, may accumulate the heavy metals found in both the effluents, at higher levels in plant products and if consumed may have similar effect on living organisms.

Trace analysis of antidepressant pharmaceuticals and their select degradates in aquatic matrixes by LC/ESI/MS/MS

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schultz, M.M.; Furlong, E.T.

2008-01-01

Treated wastewater effluent is a potential environmental point source for antidepressant pharmaceuticals. A quantitative method was developed for the determination of trace levels of antidepressants in environmental aquatic matrixes using solid-phase extraction coupled with liquid chromatography- electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Recoveries of parent antidepressants from matrix spiking experiments for the individual antidepressants ranged from 72 to 118% at low concentrations (0.5 ng/L) and 70 to 118% at high concentrations (100 ng/L) for the solid-phase extraction method. Method detection limits for the individual antidepressant compounds ranged from 0.19 to 0.45 ng/L. The method was applied to wastewater effluent and samples collected from a wastewater-dominated stream. Venlafaxine was the predominant antidepressant observed in wastewater and river water samples. Individual antidepressant concentrations found in the wastewater effluent ranged from 3 (duloxetine) to 2190 ng/L (venlafaxine), whereas individual concentrations in the waste-dominated stream ranged from 0.72 (norfluoxetine) to 1310 ng/L (venlafaxine). ?? 2008 American Chemical Society.

Reuse of Textile Dyeing Effluents Treated with Coupled Nanofiltration and Electrochemical Processes

PubMed Central

Buscio, Valentina; García-Jiménez, María; Vilaseca, Mercè; López-Grimau, Victor; Crespi, Martí; Gutiérrez-Bouzán, Carmen

2016-01-01

The reactive dye Cibacron Yellow S-3R was selected to evaluate the feasibility of combining nanofiltration membranes with electrochemical processes to treat textile wastewater. Synthetic dyeing effluents were treated by means of two nanofiltration membranes, Hydracore10 and Hydracore50. Up to 98% of dye removal was achieved. The influence of salt concentration and pH on membrane treatment was studied. The best dye removal yield was achieved at pH 3 in the presence of 60 g/L of NaCl. After the membrane filtration, the concentrate containing high dye concentration was treated by means of an electrochemical process at three different current densities: 33, 83, and 166 mA/cm2. Results showed a lineal relationship between treatment time and applied current density. Both permeates and electrochemically-decoloured effluents were reused in new dyeing processes (100% of permeate and 70% of decoloured concentrates). Dyed fabrics were evaluated with respect to original dyeing. Colour differences were found to be into the acceptance range. PMID:28773614

Evaluation and thermodynamic calculation of ureolytic magnesium ammonium phosphate precipitation from UASB effluent at pilot scale.

PubMed

Desmidt, E; Ghyselbrecht, K; Monballiu, A; Verstraete, W; Meesschaert, B D

2012-01-01

The removal of phosphate as magnesium ammonium phosphate (MAP, struvite) has gained a lot of attention. A novel approach using ureolytic MAP crystallization (pH increase by means of bacterial ureases) has been tested on the anaerobic effluent of a potato processing company in a pilot plant and compared with NuReSys(®) technology (pH increase by means of NaOH). The pilot plant showed a high phosphate removal efficiency of 83 ± 7%, resulting in a final effluent concentration of 13 ± 7 mg · L(-1) PO(4)-P. Calculating the evolution of the saturation index (SI) as a function of the remaining concentrations of Mg(2+), PO(4)-P and NH(4)(+) during precipitation in a batch reactor, resulted in a good estimation of the effluent PO(4)-P concentration of the pilot plant, operating under continuous mode. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses confirmed the presence of struvite in the small single crystals observed during experiments. The operational cost for the ureolytic MAP crystallization treating high phosphate concentrations (e.g. 100 mg · L(-1) PO(4)-P) was calculated as 3.9 € kg(-1) P(removed). This work shows that the ureolytic MAP crystallization, in combination with an autotrophic nitrogen removal process, is competitive with the NuReSys(®) technology in terms of operational cost and removal efficiency but further research is necessary to obtain larger crystals.

Silage effluent management: a review.

PubMed

Gebrehanna, M M; Gordon, R J; Madani, A; VanderZaag, A C; Wood, J D

2014-10-01

Silage effluent is a potent wastewater that can be produced when ensiling crops that have a high moisture content (MC). Silage effluent can cause fish-kills and eutrophication due to its high biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and nutrient content, respectively. It has a high acidity (pH ≈ 3.5-5) making it corrosive to steel and damaging to concrete, which makes handling, storage and disposal a challenge. Although being recognized as a concentrated wastewater, most research has focused on preventing its production. Despite noted imprecision in effluent production models-and therefore limited ability to predict when effluent will flow-there has been little research aimed at identifying effective reactive management options, such as containment and natural treatment systems. Increasing climate variability and intensifying livestock agriculture are issues that will place a greater importance on developing comprehensive, multi-layered management strategies that include both preventative and reactive measures. This paper reviews important factors governing the production of effluent, approaches to minimize effluent flows as well as treatment and disposal options. The challenges of managing silage effluent are reviewed in the context of its chemical constituents. A multi-faceted approach should be utilized to minimize environmental risks associated with silage effluent. This includes: (i) managing crop moisture content prior to ensiling to reduce effluent production, (ii) ensuring the integrity of silos and effluent storages, and (iii) establishing infrastructure for effluent treatment and disposal. A more thorough investigation of constructed wetlands and vegetated infiltration areas for treating dilute silage effluent is needed. In particular, there should be efforts to improve natural treatment system design criteria by identifying pre-treatment processes and appropriate effluent loading rates. There is also a need for research aimed at understanding the effects of repeated land application of effluent on soil quality and crop yields, as spreading is a common disposal practice. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Significance of dissolved methane in effluents of anaerobically treated low strength wastewater and potential for recovery as an energy product: A review.

PubMed

Crone, Brian C; Garland, Jay L; Sorial, George A; Vane, Leland M

2016-11-01

The need for energy efficient Domestic Wastewater (DWW) treatment is increasing annually with population growth and expanding global energy demand. Anaerobic treatment of low strength DWW produces methane which can be used to as an energy product. Temperature sensitivity, low removal efficiencies (Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Suspended Solids (SS), and Nutrients), alkalinity demand, and potential greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have limited its application to warmer climates. Although well designed anaerobic Membrane Bioreactors (AnMBRs) are able to effectively treat DWW at psychrophilic temperatures (10-30 °C), lower temperatures increase methane solubility leading to increased energy losses in the form of dissolved methane in the effluent. Estimates of dissolved methane losses are typically based on concentrations calculated using Henry's Law but advection limitations can lead to supersaturation of methane between 1.34 and 6.9 times equilibrium concentrations and 11-100% of generated methane being lost in the effluent. In well mixed systems such as AnMBRs which use biogas sparging to control membrane fouling, actual concentrations approach equilibrium values. Non-porous membranes have been used to recover up to 92.6% of dissolved methane and well suited for degassing effluents of Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) reactors which have considerable solids and organic contents and can cause pore wetting and clogging in microporous membrane modules. Microporous membranes can recover up to 98.9% of dissolved methane in AnMBR effluents which have low COD and SS concentrations. Sequential Down-flow Hanging Sponge (DHS) reactors have been used to recover between 57 and 88% of dissolved methane from Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) reactor effluent at concentrations of greater than 30% and oxidize the rest for a 99% removal of total dissolved methane. They can also remove 90% of suspended solids and COD in UASB effluents and produce a high quality effluent. In situ degassing can increase process stability, COD removal, biomass retention, and headspace methane concentrations. A model for estimating energy consumption associated with membrane-based dissolved methane recovery predicts that recovered dissolved and headspace methane may provide all the energy required for operation of an anaerobic system treating DWW at psychrophilic temperatures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pharmaceutical Formulation Facilities as Sources of Opioids and Other Pharmaceuticals to Wastewater Treatment Plant Effluents

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Facilities involved in the manufacture of pharmaceutical products are an under-investigated source of pharmaceuticals to the environment. Between 2004 and 2009, 35 to 38 effluent samples were collected from each of three wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in New York and analyzed for seven pharmaceuticals including opioids and muscle relaxants. Two WWTPs (NY2 and NY3) receive substantial flows (>20% of plant flow) from pharmaceutical formulation facilities (PFF) and one (NY1) receives no PFF flow. Samples of effluents from 23 WWTPs across the United States were analyzed once for these pharmaceuticals as part of a national survey. Maximum pharmaceutical effluent concentrations for the national survey and NY1 effluent samples were generally <1 μg/L. Four pharmaceuticals (methadone, oxycodone, butalbital, and metaxalone) in samples of NY3 effluent had median concentrations ranging from 3.4 to >400 μg/L. Maximum concentrations of oxycodone (1700 μg/L) and metaxalone (3800 μg/L) in samples from NY3 effluent exceeded 1000 μg/L. Three pharmaceuticals (butalbital, carisoprodol, and oxycodone) in samples of NY2 effluent had median concentrations ranging from 2 to 11 μg/L. These findings suggest that current manufacturing practices at these PFFs can result in pharmaceuticals concentrations from 10 to 1000 times higher than those typically found in WWTP effluents. PMID:20521847

Anammox process for nitrogen removal from anaerobically digested fish canning effluents.

PubMed

Dapena-Mora, A; Campos, J L; Mosquera-Corral, A; Méndez, R

2006-01-01

The Anammox process was used to treat the effluent generated in an anaerobic digester which treated the wastewater from a fish cannery once previously processed in a Sharon reactor. The effluents generated from the anaerobic digestion are characterised by their high ammonium content (700-1000 g NH4+ -Nm(-3)), organic carbon content (1000-1300 g TOCm(-3)) and salinity up to 8,000-10,000 g NaCl m(-3). In the Sharon reactor, approximately 50% of the NH4+ -N was oxidised to NO2- -N via partial nitrification. The effluent of the Sharon step was fed to the Anammox reactor which treated an averaged nitrogen loading rate of 500 g N m(-3) x d(-1). The system reached an averaged nitrogen removal efficiency of 68%, mainly limited due to the nonstoichiometric relation, for the Anammox process, between the ammonium and nitrite added in the feeding. The Anammox reactor bacterial population distribution, followed by FISH analysis and batch activity assays, did not change significantly despite the continuous entrance to the system of aerobic ammonium oxidisers coming from the Sharon reactor. Most of the bacteria corresponded to the Anammox population and the rest with slight variable shares to the ammonia oxidisers. The Anammox reactor showed an unexpected robustness despite the continuous variations in the influent composition regarding ammonium and nitrite concentrations. Only in the period when NO2- -N concentration was higher than the NH4+ -N concentration did the process destabilise and it took 14 days until the nitrogen removal percentage decreased to 34% with concentrations in the effluent of 340g NH4+ -N m(-3) and 440 g NO2- -N m(-3), respectively. Based on these results, it seems that the Sharon-Anammox system can be applied for the treatment of industrial wastewaters with high nitrogen load and salt concentration with an appropriate control of the NO2- -N/NH4+ -N ratio.

Measured and predicted environmental concentrations of carbamazepine, diclofenac, and metoprolol in small and medium rivers in northern Germany.

PubMed

Meyer, Wibke; Reich, Margrit; Beier, Silvio; Behrendt, Joachim; Gulyas, Holger; Otterpohl, Ralf

2016-08-01

This study evaluated the impact of secondary municipal effluent discharge on carbamazepine, diclofenac, and metoprolol concentrations in small and medium rivers in northern Germany and compared the measured environmental concentrations (MECs) to the predicted environmental concentrations (PECs) calculated with four well-established models. During a 1-year sampling period, secondary effluent grab samples were collected at four wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) together with grab samples from the receiving waters upstream and downstream from the wastewater discharge points. The carbamazepine, diclofenac, and metoprolol concentrations were analyzed with high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS-MS) after solid phase extraction. In the secondary effluents, 84-790 ng/L carbamazepine, 395-2100 ng/L diclofenac, and 745-5000 ng/L metoprolol were detected. The carbamazepine, diclofenac, and metoprolol concentrations analyzed in the rivers downstream from the secondary effluent discharge sites ranged from <5 to 68, 370, and 520 ng/L, respectively. Most of the downstream pharmaceutical concentrations were markedly higher than the corresponding upstream concentrations. The impact of wastewater discharge on the MECs in rivers downstream from the WWTPs was clearly demonstrated, but the correlations of the MECs with dilution factors were poor. The smallest rivers exhibited the largest maximum MECs and the widest ranges of MECs downstream from the wastewater discharge point. Three of the four tested models were conservative, as they showed higher PECs than the MECs in the rivers downstream from the WWTPs. However, the most detailed model underestimated the diclofenac concentrations.

Development and modelling of a steel slag filter effluent neutralization process with CO2-enriched air from an upstream bioprocess.

PubMed

Bove, Patricia; Claveau-Mallet, Dominique; Boutet, Étienne; Lida, Félix; Comeau, Yves

2018-02-01

The main objective of this project was to develop a steel slag filter effluent neutralization process by acidification with CO 2 -enriched air coming from a bioprocess. Sub-objectives were to evaluate the neutralization capacity of different configurations of neutralization units in lab-scale conditions and to propose a design model of steel slag effluent neutralization. Two lab-scale column neutralization units fed with two different types of influent were operated at hydraulic retention time of 10 h. Tested variables were mode of flow (saturated or percolating), type of media (none, gravel, Bionest and AnoxKaldnes K3), type of air (ambient or CO 2 -enriched) and airflow rate. One neutralization field test (saturated and no media, 2000-5000 ppm CO 2 , sequential feeding, hydraulic retention time of 7.8 h) was conducted for 7 days. Lab-scale and field-scale tests resulted in effluent pH of 7.5-9.5 when the aeration rate was sufficiently high. A model was implemented in the PHREEQC software and was based on the carbonate system, CO 2 transfer and calcite precipitation; and was calibrated on ambient air lab tests. The model was validated with CO 2 -enriched air lab and field tests, providing satisfactory validation results over a wide range of CO 2 concentrations. The flow mode had a major impact on CO 2 transfer and hydraulic efficiency, while the type of media had little influence. The flow mode also had a major impact on the calcite surface concentration in the reactor: it was constant in saturated mode and was increasing in percolating mode. Predictions could be made for different steel slag effluent pH and different operation conditions (hydraulic retention time, CO 2 concentration, media and mode of flow). The pH of the steel slag filter effluent and the CO 2 concentration of the enriched air were factors that influenced most the effluent pH of the neutralization process. An increased concentration in CO 2 in the enriched air reduced calcite precipitation and clogging risks. Stoichiometric calculations showed that a typical domestic septic tank effluent with 300 mg/L of biodegradable COD provides enough biological CO 2 for neutralization of a steel slag effluent with pH of 10.5-11.5. A saturated neutralization reactor with no media operated at hydraulic retention time of 10 h and a concentration of 2000 ppm in CO 2 enriched air is recommended for full-scale applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pre/post-closure assessment of groundwater pharmaceutical fate in a wastewater-facility-impacted stream reach.

PubMed

Bradley, Paul M; Barber, Larry B; Clark, Jimmy M; Duris, Joseph W; Foreman, William T; Furlong, Edward T; Givens, Carrie E; Hubbard, Laura E; Hutchinson, Kasey J; Journey, Celeste A; Keefe, Steffanie H; Kolpin, Dana W

2016-10-15

Pharmaceutical contamination of contiguous groundwater is a substantial concern in wastewater-impacted streams, due to ubiquity in effluent, high aqueous mobility, designed bioactivity, and to effluent-driven hydraulic gradients. Wastewater treatment facility (WWTF) closures are rare environmental remediation events; offering unique insights into contaminant persistence, long-term wastewater impacts, and ecosystem recovery processes. The USGS conducted a combined pre/post-closure groundwater assessment adjacent to an effluent-impacted reach of Fourmile Creek, Ankeny, Iowa, USA. Higher surface-water concentrations, consistent surface-water to groundwater concentration gradients, and sustained groundwater detections tens of meters from the stream bank demonstrated the importance of WWTF effluent as the source of groundwater pharmaceuticals as well as the persistence of these contaminants under effluent-driven, pre-closure conditions. The number of analytes (110 total) detected in surface water decreased from 69 prior to closure down to 8 in the first post-closure sampling event approximately 30 d later, with a corresponding 2 order of magnitude decrease in the cumulative concentration of detected analytes. Post-closure cumulative concentrations of detected analytes were approximately 5 times higher in proximal groundwater than in surface water. About 40% of the 21 contaminants detected in a downstream groundwater transect immediately before WWTF closure exhibited rapid attenuation with estimated half-lives on the order of a few days; however, a comparable number exhibited no consistent attenuation during the year-long post-closure assessment. The results demonstrate the potential for effluent-impacted shallow groundwater systems to accumulate pharmaceutical contaminants and serve as long-term residual sources, further increasing the risk of adverse ecological effects in groundwater and the near-stream ecosystem. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Pre/post-closure assessment of groundwater pharmaceutical fate in a wastewater‑facility-impacted stream reach

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bradley, Paul M.; Barber, Larry B.; Clark, Jimmy M.; Duris, Joseph W.; Foreman, William T.; Furlong, Edward T.; Givens, Carrie E.; Hubbard, Laura E.; Hutchinson, Kasey J.; Journey, Celeste A.; Keefe, Steffanie H.; Kolpin, Dana W.

2016-01-01

Pharmaceutical contamination of contiguous groundwater is a substantial concern in wastewater-impacted streams, due to ubiquity in effluent, high aqueous mobility, designed bioactivity, and to effluent-driven hydraulic gradients. Wastewater treatment facility (WWTF) closures are rare environmental remediation events; offering unique insights into contaminant persistence, long-term wastewater impacts, and ecosystem recovery processes. The USGS conducted a combined pre/post-closure groundwater assessment adjacent to an effluent-impacted reach of Fourmile Creek, Ankeny, Iowa, USA. Higher surface-water concentrations, consistent surface-water to groundwater concentration gradients, and sustained groundwater detections tens of meters from the stream bank demonstrated the importance of WWTF effluent as the source of groundwater pharmaceuticals as well as the persistence of these contaminants under effluent-driven, pre-closure conditions. The number of analytes (110 total) detected in surface water decreased from 69 prior to closure down to 8 in the first post-closure sampling event approximately 30 d later, with a corresponding 2 order of magnitude decrease in the cumulative concentration of detected analytes. Post-closure cumulative concentrations of detected analytes were approximately 5 times higher in proximal groundwater than in surface water. About 40% of the 21 contaminants detected in a downstream groundwater transect immediately before WWTF closure exhibited rapid attenuation with estimated half-lives on the order of a few days; however, a comparable number exhibited no consistent attenuation during the year-long post-closure assessment. The results demonstrate the potential for effluent-impacted shallow groundwater systems to accumulate pharmaceutical contaminants and serve as long-term residual sources, further increasing the risk of adverse ecological effects in groundwater and the near-stream ecosystem.

Fate of individual sewage disposal system wastewater within regolith in mountainous terrain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dano, Kathleen; Poeter, Eileen; Thyne, Geoff

2008-06-01

In order to improve understanding of the fate of septic tank or individual sewage disposal system (ISDS) effluent in regolith overlying fractured-rock aquifers, effluent from an ISDS in such a setting was tracked via geophysical, hydrological, and geochemical methods. Under typical precipitation conditions, the effluent entered the fractured bedrock within 5 m of the boundary of the constructed infiltration area. During a period of unusually high spring recharge, the plume migrated between 50 and 100 m within the regolith before infiltrating the fractured bedrock. The chemical signature of the effluent is similar to that required to account for the decline in water quality, suggesting a causative relationship (as estimated from mass-balance models of the surface-water chemistry near the mouth of the basin). The elevated salt content of the effluent during periods of high natural recharge to the infiltration area correlates with elevated salt concentrations in surface and groundwater at the basin scale, suggesting that some of the effluent salt load may be stored in the unsaturated zone during dry periods and flushed during periods of elevated natural recharge.

Pulsed free jet expansion system for high-resolution fluorescence spectroscopy of capillary gas chromatographic effluents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pepich, Barry V.; Callis, James B.; Danielson, J. D. Sheldon; Gouterman, Martin

1986-05-01

A method for detection of capillary gas chromatographic (C-GC) effluent using supersonic jet spectroscopy is described. A novel concept is introduced which overcomes four major obstacles: (i) high temperature of the GC; (ii) low GC flow rate; (iii) low dead volume requirement; and (iv) duty factor mismatch to a pulsed laser. The effluent from the C-GC flows into a low dead volume antechamber into which a pulsed valve, operating at 5 Hz, discharges high-pressure inert gas for 600 μs. The antechamber feeds through a small orifice into a high-vacuum chamber; here an isentropic expansion takes place which causes marked cooling of the GC effluent. The fluorescence of the effluent is then excited by a synchronously pulsed dye laser. With iodine vapor in helium (2 ml/min) modeling the GC effluent, the fluorescence of the cooled molecules is monitored with different delay times between opening of the pulsed valve and firing of the laser. With a glass wool plug inserted in the antechamber to promote mixing between the high-pressure pulse gas and the iodine, the observed pressure variation with time follows a simple gas-dynamic model. Operating in this pulsed mode it is found that the effluent concentration increases by a factor of 7 while the rotational temperature drops from 373 to 7 K. The overall fluorescence intensity actually increases nearly 30-fold because the temperature drop narrows the absorption bands. Tests on acenaphthene chromatographed on a 15-m capillary column show that the antechamber does not degrade resolution and that the high-pressure pulses act to reduce C-GC retention times, presumably through a Venturi effect. The antechamber can be operated with GC effluent temperatures above 200 °C without adversely affecting the pulsed valve.

A ten liter stacked microbial desalination cell packed with mixed ion-exchange resins for secondary effluent desalination.

PubMed

Zuo, Kuichang; Cai, Jiaxiang; Liang, Shuai; Wu, Shijia; Zhang, Changyong; Liang, Peng; Huang, Xia

2014-08-19

The architecture and performance of microbial desalination cell (MDC) have been significantly improved in the past few years. However, the application of MDC is still limited in a scope of small-scale (milliliter) reactors and high-salinity-water desalination. In this study, a large-scale (>10 L) stacked MDC packed with mixed ion-exchange resins was fabricated and operated in the batch mode with a salt concentration of 0.5 g/L NaCl, a typical level of domestic wastewater. With circulation flow rate of 80 mL/min, the stacked resin-packed MDC (SR-MDC) achieved a desalination efficiency of 95.8% and a final effluent concentration of 0.02 g/L in 12 h, which is comparable with the effluent quality of reverse osmosis in terms of salinity. Moreover, the SR-MDC kept a stable desalination performance (>93%) when concentrate volume decreased from 2.4 to 0.1 L (diluate/concentrate volume ratio increased from 1:1 to 1:0.04), where only 0.875 L of nonfresh water was consumed to desalinate 1 L of saline water. In addition, the SR-MDC achieved a considerable desalination rate (95.4 mg/h), suggesting a promising application for secondary effluent desalination through deriving biochemical electricity from wastewater.

Evaluation of Emerging Contaminants of Concern at the South District Wastewater Treatment Plant Based on Seasonal Events, Miami-Dade County, Florida, 2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lietz, Arthur C.; Meyer, Michael T.

2006-01-01

The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan has identified highly treated wastewater as a possible water source for the restoration of natural water flows and hydroperiods in selected coastal areas, including the Biscayne Bay coastal wetlands. One potential source of reclaimed wastewater for the Biscayne Bay coastal wetlands is the effluent from the South District Wastewater Treatment Plant in southern Miami-Dade County. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan Wastewater Reuse Technology Pilot Project Delivery Team, initiated a study to assess the presence of emerging contaminants of concern in the South District Wastewater Treatment Plant influent and effluent using current wastewater-treatment methods. As part of the study, 24-hour composite and discrete samples were collected at six locations (influent at plants 1 and 2, effluent pump, reuse train, chlorine dioxide unit, and ultraviolet pilot unit) at the plant during: (1) a dry-season, low-flow event on March 2-3, 2004, with an average inflow rate of 83.7 million gallons per day; (2) a wet-season, average-flow event on July 20-21, 2004, with an average inflow rate of 89.7 million gallons per day; and (3) high-rate disinfection tests on October 5 and 20, 2004, with average flow rates of 84.1 and 119.6 million gallons per day, respectively. During these four sampling events, 26, 27, 29, and 35 constituents were detected, respectively. The following transformations in concentration were determined in the waste stream: -100 to 180 percent at the effluent pump and -100 to 85 percent at the reuse train on March 2-3, 2004, and -100 to 1,609 percent at the effluent pump and -100 to 832 percent at the reuse train on July 20-21, 2004; -100 to -37 percent at the effluent pump, -100 to -62 percent at the reuse train, -100 to -56 percent at the chlorine dioxide unit, and -100 to -40 percent at the ultraviolet pilot unit on October 5, 2004; and -100 to -4 percent at the effluent pump, -100 to 17 percent at the reuse train, -100 to -40 percent at the chlorine dioxide unit, and -100 to -14 percent at the ultraviolet pilot unit on October 20, 2004. Samples were tested for detection of household and industrial (organic) wastewater compounds, pharmaceutical compounds, antibiotic compounds, and hormones in influent. Two 'known' endocrine disrupting compounds?17 beta-estradiol (E2) and diethoxynonylphenol? and four 'suspected' endocrine-disrupting compounds?1,4-dichlorobenzene, benzophenone, tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate, and tris(dichloroisopropyl) phosphate?were detected during these sampling events. Phenanthrene and indole showed the greatest concentration ranges and highest concentrations for the organic wastewater compounds. Acetaminophen showed the greatest concentration range and highest concentration, and warfarin showed the smallest concentration range for the pharmaceutical compounds. Sulfamethoxazole (a sulfonamide) showed the greatest concentration range and highest concentration, and sulfathiozole (also a sulfonamide) showed the smallest concentration range for the antibiotic compounds. Two hormones, 17 beta-estradiol (E2) and estrone (E1), were detected in influent. Samples were also tested for detection of organic wastewater compounds, pharmaceutical compounds, antibiotic compounds, and hormones in effluent. Indole showed the greatest concentration range and highest concentration, and triphenyl phosphate showed the smallest concentration range for the organic wastewater compounds. Dehydronifedipine showed the greatest concentration range and highest concentration, and warfarin had the smallest concentration range for the pharmaceutical compounds. Anhydro-erythromycin (a macrolide degradation product) showed the greatest concentration range, and sulfadiazine (a sulfonamide) and tetracycline showed the lowest concentration ranges for the antibiotic compounds. One hormone, 17 beta-estradiol (E2), was det

Optimization of high-rate TN removal in a novel constructed wetland integrated with microelectrolysis system treating high-strength digestate supernatant.

PubMed

Guo, Luchen; He, Keli; Wu, Shubiao; Sun, Hao; Wang, Yanfei; Huang, Xu; Dong, Renjie

2016-08-01

The potential of high-rate TN removal in three aerated horizontal subsurface-flow constructed wetlands to treat high-strength anaerobic digestate supernatant was evaluated. Different strategies of intermittent aeration and effluent recirculation were applied to compare their effect on nitrogen depuration performance. Additional glucose supply and iron-activated carbon based post-treatment systems were established and examined, respectively, to further remove nitrate that accumulated in the effluents from aerated wetlands. The results showed that intermittent aeration (1 h on:1 h off) significantly improved nitrification with ammonium removal efficiency of 90% (18.1 g/(m(2)·d)), but limited TN removal efficiency (53%). Even though effluent recirculation (a ratio of 1:1) increased TN removal from 53% to 71%, the effluent nitrate concentration was still high. Additional glucose was used as a post-treatment option and further increased the TN removal to 82%; however, this implementation caused additional organic pollution. Furthermore, the iron-activated carbon system stimulated with a microelectrolysis process achieved greater than 85% effluent nitrate removal and resulted in 86% TN removal. Considering the high TN removal rate, aerated constructed wetlands integrated with a microelectrolysis-driven system show great potential for treating high-strength digestate supernatant. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Validation of two dilution models to predict chloramine-T concentrations in aquaculture facility effluent

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gaikowski, M.P.; Larson, W.J.; Steuer, J.J.; Gingerich, W.H.

2004-01-01

Accurate estimates of drug concentrations in hatchery effluent are critical to assess the environmental risk of hatchery drug discharge resulting from disease treatment. This study validated two dilution simple n models to estimate chloramine-T environmental introduction concentrations by comparing measured and predicted chloramine-T concentrations using the US Geological Survey's Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center aquaculture facility effluent as an example. The hydraulic characteristics of our treated raceway and effluent and the accuracy of our water flow rate measurements were confirmed with the marker dye rhodamine WT. We also used the rhodamine WT data to develop dilution models that would (1) estimate the chloramine-T concentration at a given time and location in the effluent system and (2) estimate the average chloramine-T concentration at a given location over the entire discharge period. To test our models, we predicted the chloramine-T concentration at two sample points based on effluent flow and the maintenance of chloramine-T at 20 mg/l for 60 min in the same raceway used with rhodamine WT. The effluent sample points selected (sample points A and B) represented 47 and 100% of the total effluent flow, respectively. Sample point B is-analogous to the discharge of a hatchery that does not have a detention lagoon, i.e. The sample site was downstream of the last dilution water addition following treatment. We then applied four chloramine-T flow-through treatments at 20mg/l for 60 min and measured the chloramine-T concentration in water samples collected every 15 min for about 180 min from the treated raceway and sample points A and B during and after application. The predicted chloramine-T concentration at each sampling interval was similar to the measured chloramine-T concentration at sample points A and B and was generally bounded by the measured 90% confidence intervals. The predicted aver,age chloramine-T concentrations at sample points A or B (2.8 and 1.3 mg/l, respectively) were not significantly different (P > 0.05) from the average measured chloramine-T concentrations (2.7 and 1.3 mg/l, respectively). The close agreement between our predicted and measured chloramine-T concentrations indicate either of the dilution models could be used to adequately predict the chloramine-T environmental introduction concentration in Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center effluent. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Removal of heavy metals from tannery effluents of Ambur industrial area, Tamilnadu by Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis.

PubMed

Balaji, S; Kalaivani, T; Rajasekaran, C; Shalini, M; Vinodhini, S; Priyadharshini, S Sunitha; Vidya, A G

2015-06-01

The present study was carried out with the tannery effluent contaminated with heavy metals collected from Ambur industrial area to determine the phycoremediation potential of Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis. Two different concentrations (50 and 100 %) of heavy metals containing tannery effluent treated with A. platensis were analysed for growth, absorption spectra, biochemical properties and antioxidant enzyme activity levels. The effluent treatments revealed dose-dependent decrease in the levels of A. platensis growth (65.37 % for 50 % effluent and 49.32 % for 100 % effluent), chlorophyll content (97.43 % for 50 % effluent and 71.05 % for 100 % effluent) and total protein content (82.63 % for 50 % effluent and 62.10 % for 100 % effluent) that leads to the reduction of total solids, total dissolved solids and total suspended solids. A. platensis with lower effluent concentration was effective than at higher concentration. Treatment with the effluent also resulted in increased activity levels of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (14.58 units/g fresh weight for 50 % and 24.57 units/g fresh weight for 100 %) and catalase (0.963 units/g fresh weight for 50 % and 1.263 units/g fresh weight for 100 %). Furthermore, heavy metal content was determined using atomic absorption spectrometry. These results indicated that A. platensis has the ability to combat heavy metal stress by the induction of antioxidant enzymes demonstrating its potential usefulness in phycoremediation of tannery effluent.

Dissolved organic nitrogen recalcitrance and bioavailable nitrogen quantification for effluents from advanced nitrogen removal wastewater treatment facilities.

PubMed

Fan, Lu; Brett, Michael T; Jiang, Wenju; Li, Bo

2017-10-01

The objective of this study was to determine the composition of nitrogen (N) in the effluents of advanced N removal (ANR) wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). This study also tested two different experimental protocols for determining dissolved N recalcitrance. An analysis of 15 effluent samples from five WWTPs, showed effluent concentrations and especially effluent composition varied greatly from one system to the other, with total nitrogen (TN) ranging between 1.05 and 8.10 mg L -1 . Nitrate (NO 3 - ) accounted for between 38 ± 32% of TN, and ammonium accounted for a further 29 ± 28%. All of these samples were dominated by dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN; NO 3 -  + NH 4 + ), and uptake experiments indicated the DIN fraction was as expected highly bioavailable. Dissolved organic N (DON) accounted for 20 ± 11% for the total dissolved N in these effluents, and uptake experiments indicated the bioavailability of this fraction varied between 27 ± 26% depending on the WWTP assessed. These results indicate near complete DIN removal should be the primary goal of ANR treatment systems. The comparison of bioavailable nitrogen (BAN) quantification protocols showed that the dissolved nitrogen uptake bioassay approach was clearly a more reliable way to determine BAN concentrations compared to the conventional cell yield protocol. Moreover, because the nitrogen uptake experiment was much more sensitive, this protocol made it easier to detect extrinsic factors (such as biological contamination or toxicity) that could affect the accuracy of these bioassays. Based on these results, we recommend the nitrogen uptake bioassay using filtered and autoclaved samples to quantify BAN concentrations. However, for effluent samples indicating toxicity, algal bioassays will not accurately quantify BAN. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Soluble phosphate fertilizer production using acid effluent from metallurgical industry.

PubMed

Mattiello, Edson M; Resende Filho, Itamar D P; Barreto, Matheus S; Soares, Aline R; Silva, Ivo R da; Vergütz, Leonardus; Melo, Leônidas C A; Soares, Emanuelle M B

2016-01-15

Preventive and effective waste management requires cleaner production strategies and technologies for recycling and reuse. Metallurgical industries produce a great amount of acid effluent that must be discarded in a responsible manner, protecting the environment. The focus of this study was to examine the use of this effluent to increase reactivity of some phosphate rocks, thus enabling soluble phosphate fertilizer production. The effluent was diluted in deionized water with the following concentrations 0; 12.5; 25; 50; 75% (v v(-1)), which were added to four natural phosphate rocks: Araxá, Patos, Bayovar and Catalão and then left to react for 1 h and 24 h. There was an increase in water (PW), neutral ammonium citrate (PNAC) and citric acid (PCA) soluble phosphorus fractions. Such increases were dependent of rock type while the reaction time had no significant effect (p < 0.05) on the chemical and mineralogical phosphate characteristics. Phosphate fertilizers with low toxic metal concentrations and a high level of micronutrients were produced compared to the original natural rocks. The minimum amount of total P2O5, PNAC and PW, required for national legislation for phosphate partially acidulated fertilizer, were met when using Catalão and the effluent at the concentration of 55% (v v(-1)). Fertilizer similar to partially acidulated phosphate was obtained when Bayovar with effluent at 37.5% (v v(-1)) was used. Even though fertilizers obtained from Araxá and Patos did not contain the minimum levels of total P2O5 required by legislation, they can be used as a nutrient source and for acid effluent recycling and reuse. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 414.41 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS ORGANIC CHEMICALS, PLASTICS, AND SYNTHETIC FIBERS Thermoplastic... concentration listed in the following table. Effluent characteristics BPT Effluent Limitations 1 Maximum for any...

40 CFR 414.51 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS ORGANIC CHEMICALS, PLASTICS, AND SYNTHETIC FIBERS Thermosetting... concentration listed in the following table. Effluent characteristics BPT effluent limitations 1 Maximum for any...

Infectivity of Giardia duodenalis Cysts from UV Light-Disinfected Wastewater Effluent Using a Nude BALB/c Mouse Model

PubMed Central

dos Santos, Luciana Urbano; Alves, Delma Pegolo; Guaraldo, Ana Maria Aparecida; Cantusio Neto, Romeu; Durigan, Mauricio; Franco, Regina Maura Bueno

2013-01-01

Giardia duodenalis is a protozoan of public health interest that causes gastroenteritis in humans and other animals. In the city of Campinas in southeast Brazil, giardiasis is endemic, and this pathogen is detected at high concentrations in wastewater effluents, which are potential reservoirs for transmission. The Samambaia wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in the city of Campinas employs an activated sludge system for sewage treatment and ultraviolet (UV) light for disinfection of effluents. To evaluate this disinfection process with respect to inactivating G. duodenalis cysts, two sample types were investigated: (i) effluent without UV disinfection (EFL) and (ii) effluent with UV disinfection (EFL+UV). Nude immunodeficient BALB/c mice were intragastrically inoculated with a mean dose of 14 cysts of G. duodenalis recovered from effluent from this WWTP, EFL, or EFL+UV. All animals inoculated with G. duodenalis cysts developed the infection, but animals inoculated with UV-exposed cysts released a lower average concentration of cysts in their faeces than animals inoculated with cysts that were not UV disinfected. Trophozoites were also observed in both groups of animals. These findings suggest that G. duodenalis cysts exposed to UV light were damaged but were still able to cause infection. PMID:27335858

Characterization of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care products in hospital effluent and waste water influent/effluent by direct-injection LC-MS-MS.

PubMed

Oliveira, Tiago S; Murphy, Mark; Mendola, Nicholas; Wong, Virginia; Carlson, Doreen; Waring, Linda

2015-06-15

Two USEPA Regional Laboratories developed direct-injection LC/MS/MS methods to measure Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) in water matrices. Combined, the laboratories were prepared to analyze 185 PPCPs (with 74 overlapping) belonging to more than 20 therapeutical categories with reporting limits at low part-per-trillion. In partnership with Suffolk County in NY, the laboratories conducted PPCP analysis on 72 samples belonging to 4 Water Systems (WS). Samples were collected at different stages of the WS (hospital effluents, WWTP influents/effluents) to assess PPCP relevance in hospital discharges, impact on WWTP performance and potential ecological risk posed by analytes not eliminated during treatment. Major findings include: a) acceptable accuracy between the two laboratories for most overlapping PPCPs with better agreement for higher concentrations; b) the measurement of PPCPs throughout all investigated WS with total PPCP concentrations ranging between 324 and 965 μg L(-1) for hospital effluent, 259 and 573 μg L(-1) for WWTP influent and 19 and 118 μg L(-1) for WWTP effluent; c) the variable contribution of hospital effluents to the PPCP loads into the WWTP influents (contribution ranging between 1% (WS-2) and 59% (WS-3); d) the PPCP load reduction after treatment for all WS reaching more than 95% for WS using activated sludge processes (WS-2 and WS-4), with inflow above 6500 m(3) d(-1), and having a lower percentage of hospital effluent in the WWTP influent; e) the relevance of four therapeutical categories for the PPCP load in WWTP effluents (analgesics, antidiabetics, antiepileptics and psychoanaleptics); and f) the risk quotients calculated using screening-level Predicted Non Effect Concentration indicate that WWTP effluents contain 33 PPCPs with potential medium to high ecological risk. To our knowledge no other monitoring investigation published in the scientific literature uses direct-injection methods to cover as many PPCPs and therapeutical categories in different types of WS. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Anionic surfactants in treated sewage and sludges: risk assessment to aquatic and terrestrial environments.

PubMed

Mungray, Arvind Kumar; Kumar, Pradeep

2008-05-01

Compared to low concentrations of anionic surfactants (AS) in activated sludge process effluents (ASP) (<0.2 mg/L), upflow anaerobic sludge blanket-polishing pond (UASB-PP) effluents were found to contain very high concentrations of AS (>3.5 mg/L). AS (or linear alkylbenzen sulfonate, LAS) removals >99% have been found for ASP while in case of UASB-PP it was found to be < or = 30%. AS concentrations averaged 7347 and 1452 mg/kg dry wt. in wet UASB and dried sludges, respectively. Treated sewage from UASB based sewage treatment plants (STPs) when discharged to aquatic ecosystems are likely to generate substantial risk. Post-treatment using 1-1.6d detention, anaerobic, non-algal polishing ponds was found ineffective. Need of utilizing an aerobic method of post-treatment of UASB effluent in place of an anaerobic one has been emphasized. Natural drying of UASB sludges on sludge drying beds (SDBs) under aerobic conditions results in reduction of adsorbed AS by around 80%. Application of UASB sludges on SDBs was found simple, economical and effective. While disposal of treated UASB effluent may cause risk to aquatic ecosystems, use of dried UASB sludges is not likely to cause risk to terrestrial ecosystems.

Distribution and trophic transfer of short-chain chlorinated paraffins in an aquatic ecosystem receiving effluents from a sewage treatment plant.

PubMed

Zeng, Lixi; Wang, Thanh; Wang, Pu; Liu, Qian; Han, Shanlong; Yuan, Bo; Zhu, Nali; Wang, Yawei; Jiang, Guibin

2011-07-01

Short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) are an extremely complex group of industrial chemicals and found to be potential persistent organic pollutants (POPs), and thus have attracted extensive concern worldwide. In this study, influent, effluent, and sludge were collected from a large sewage treatment plant (STP) in Beijing, China. Water, sediment, and aquatic species were also collected from a recipient lake that receives effluents discharged from the STP. These samples were then analyzed to investigate the effect of STP effluent on distribution and trophic transfer of SCCPs in the local aquatic ecosystem. Concentrations of total SCCPs (ΣSCCPs) in lake water and surface sediments were found in the range 162-176 ng/L and 1.1-8.7 μg/g (dry weight, dw), respectively. Vertical concentration profiles of sediment cores showed ΣSCCPs decreased exponentially with increasing depth. Specific congener composition analysis in sediment layers indicated possible in situ biodegradation might be occurring. High bioaccumulation of SCCPs was observed in the sampled aquatic species. The bioaccumulation factor (BAF) generally increased with the number of chlorines in the SCCP congeners. A significantly positive correlation between lipid-normalized ΣSCCPs concentration and trophic levels (R(2) = 0.65, p < 0.05) indicate that SCCPs can biomagnify through the food chain in the effluent-receiving aquatic ecosystem.

40 CFR 414.31 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS ORGANIC CHEMICALS, PLASTICS, AND SYNTHETIC FIBERS Other Fibers... concentration listed in the following table. Effluent characteristics BPT effluent limitations 1 Maximum for any...

40 CFR 414.21 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS ORGANIC CHEMICALS, PLASTICS, AND SYNTHETIC FIBERS Rayon Fibers... concentration listed in the following table. Effluent characteristics BPT effluent limitations 1 Maximum for any...

An advanced anaerobic biofilter with effluent recirculation for phenol removal and methane production in treatment of coal gasification wastewater.

PubMed

Li, Yajie; Tabassum, Salma; Zhang, Zhenjia

2016-09-01

An advanced anaerobic biofilter (AF) was introduced for the treatment of coal gasification wastewater (CGW), and effluent recirculation was adopted to enhance phenol removal and methane production. The results indicated that AF was reliable in treating diluted CGW, while its efficiency and stability were seriously reduced when directly treating raw CGW. However, its performance could be greatly enhanced by effluent recirculation. Under optimal effluent recirculation of 0.5 to the influent, concentrations of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total phenol in the effluent could reach as low as 234.0 and 14.2mg/L, respectively. Also, the rate of methane production reached 169.0mLCH4/L/day. Though CGW seemed to restrain the growth of anaerobic microorganisms, especially methanogens, the inhibition was temporary and reversible, and anaerobic bacteria presented strong tolerance. The activities of methanogens cultivated in CGW could quickly recover on feeding with glucose wastewater (GW). However, the adaptability of anaerobic bacteria to the CGW was very poor and the activity of methanogens could not be improved by long-term domestication. By analysis using the Haldane model, it was further confirmed that high effluent recirculation could result in high activity for hydrolytic bacteria and substrate affinity for toxic matters, but only suitable effluent recirculation could result in high methanogenic activity. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Research on denitrification efficiency of three types of solid carbon source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Y.; Zhang, J. D.; Li, F.; Cao, Y. X.; Zhu, L. Y.; Xiao, M. S.

2018-01-01

C/N rates can greatly influence efficiency of denitrification. It is difficult for current treated effluent to reach GB18918-2002 primary effluent standard because of its low C/N rate. To improve the efficiency of denitrification, the quality of effluent, and realize the waste recycling, this article selected magnolia leaves, loofah and degradable meal box as the solid carbon source and set different solid-liquid ratio of magnolia leaves for periodic denitrification stage to study the change of NO3 --N, TN, COD, NO2 --N, NH4 +, PO4 3- and color. The results showed that in the condition of influent nitrate concentration of 40 mg/L, carbon dosage of 10 g, the reaction temperature of 25°C, the nitrate removal rates of magnolia leaves and loofah reached 89.0% and 96.8% respectively, rather higher than degradable meal box (56.3%). The TN removal rates of magnolia leaves (91.7%) and loofah (77.7%) were both higher than degradable meal box (53.9%), and the effluent TN concentration of loofah and degradable meal box reached 25.4 mg/L and 21.1 mg/L respectively, which couldn’t be discharged according to the primary effluent concentration standard of GB18918-2002. The released concentration of ammonia nitrogen and phosphate: loofah> magnolia> degradable meal box. The high solid-liquid ratio of magnolia leaves helped to improve the TN removal rate, which reached 75.0% (1:200) and 91.7% (1:100), but it caused higher released concentration of carbon, ammonia nitrogen and phosphate to effect system heavily. Under the integrated analysis, the low solid-liquid ratio (1:200) of magnolia leaves was more suitable to be the denitrification external carbon source.

Long-Term Bacterial Dynamics in a Full-Scale Drinking Water Distribution System

PubMed Central

Prest, E. I.; Weissbrodt, D. G.; Hammes, F.; van Loosdrecht, M. C. M.; Vrouwenvelder, J. S.

2016-01-01

Large seasonal variations in microbial drinking water quality can occur in distribution networks, but are often not taken into account when evaluating results from short-term water sampling campaigns. Temporal dynamics in bacterial community characteristics were investigated during a two-year drinking water monitoring campaign in a full-scale distribution system operating without detectable disinfectant residual. A total of 368 water samples were collected on a biweekly basis at the water treatment plant (WTP) effluent and at one fixed location in the drinking water distribution network (NET). The samples were analysed for heterotrophic plate counts (HPC), Aeromonas plate counts, adenosine-tri-phosphate (ATP) concentrations, and flow cytometric (FCM) total and intact cell counts (TCC, ICC), water temperature, pH, conductivity, total organic carbon (TOC) and assimilable organic carbon (AOC). Multivariate analysis of the large dataset was performed to explore correlative trends between microbial and environmental parameters. The WTP effluent displayed considerable seasonal variations in TCC (from 90 × 103 cells mL-1 in winter time up to 455 × 103 cells mL-1 in summer time) and in bacterial ATP concentrations (<1–3.6 ng L-1), which were congruent with water temperature variations. These fluctuations were not detected with HPC and Aeromonas counts. The water in the network was predominantly influenced by the characteristics of the WTP effluent. The increase in ICC between the WTP effluent and the network sampling location was small (34 × 103 cells mL-1 on average) compared to seasonal fluctuations in ICC in the WTP effluent. Interestingly, the extent of bacterial growth in the NET was inversely correlated to AOC concentrations in the WTP effluent (Pearson’s correlation factor r = -0.35), and positively correlated with water temperature (r = 0.49). Collecting a large dataset at high frequency over a two year period enabled the characterization of previously undocumented seasonal dynamics in the distribution network. Moreover, high-resolution FCM data enabled prediction of bacterial cell concentrations at specific water temperatures and time of year. The study highlights the need to systematically assess temporal fluctuations in parallel to spatial dynamics for individual drinking water distribution systems. PMID:27792739

Long-Term Bacterial Dynamics in a Full-Scale Drinking Water Distribution System.

PubMed

Prest, E I; Weissbrodt, D G; Hammes, F; van Loosdrecht, M C M; Vrouwenvelder, J S

2016-01-01

Large seasonal variations in microbial drinking water quality can occur in distribution networks, but are often not taken into account when evaluating results from short-term water sampling campaigns. Temporal dynamics in bacterial community characteristics were investigated during a two-year drinking water monitoring campaign in a full-scale distribution system operating without detectable disinfectant residual. A total of 368 water samples were collected on a biweekly basis at the water treatment plant (WTP) effluent and at one fixed location in the drinking water distribution network (NET). The samples were analysed for heterotrophic plate counts (HPC), Aeromonas plate counts, adenosine-tri-phosphate (ATP) concentrations, and flow cytometric (FCM) total and intact cell counts (TCC, ICC), water temperature, pH, conductivity, total organic carbon (TOC) and assimilable organic carbon (AOC). Multivariate analysis of the large dataset was performed to explore correlative trends between microbial and environmental parameters. The WTP effluent displayed considerable seasonal variations in TCC (from 90 × 103 cells mL-1 in winter time up to 455 × 103 cells mL-1 in summer time) and in bacterial ATP concentrations (<1-3.6 ng L-1), which were congruent with water temperature variations. These fluctuations were not detected with HPC and Aeromonas counts. The water in the network was predominantly influenced by the characteristics of the WTP effluent. The increase in ICC between the WTP effluent and the network sampling location was small (34 × 103 cells mL-1 on average) compared to seasonal fluctuations in ICC in the WTP effluent. Interestingly, the extent of bacterial growth in the NET was inversely correlated to AOC concentrations in the WTP effluent (Pearson's correlation factor r = -0.35), and positively correlated with water temperature (r = 0.49). Collecting a large dataset at high frequency over a two year period enabled the characterization of previously undocumented seasonal dynamics in the distribution network. Moreover, high-resolution FCM data enabled prediction of bacterial cell concentrations at specific water temperatures and time of year. The study highlights the need to systematically assess temporal fluctuations in parallel to spatial dynamics for individual drinking water distribution systems.

Synergistic effects of mining and urban effluents on the level and distribution of methylmercury in a shallow aquatic ecosystem of the Bolivian Altiplano.

PubMed

Alanoca, L; Guédron, S; Amouroux, D; Audry, S; Monperrus, M; Tessier, E; Goix, S; Acha, D; Seyler, P; Point, D

2016-12-08

Lake Uru Uru (3686 m a.s.l.) located in the Bolivian Altiplano region receives both mining effluents and urban wastewater discharges originating from the surrounding local cities which are under rapid development. We followed the spatiotemporal distribution of different mercury (Hg) compounds and other metal(oid)s (e.g., Fe, Mn, Sb, Ti and W) in both water and sediments during the wet and dry seasons along a north-south transect of this shallow lake system. Along the transect, the highest Hg and metal(oid) concentrations in both water and sediments were found downstream of the confluences with mining effluents. Although a dilution effect was found for major elements during the wet season, mean Hg and metal(oid) concentrations did not significantly differ from the dry season due to the increase in acid mine drainage (AMD) inputs into the lake from upstream mining areas. In particular, high filtered (<0.45 μm) mono-methylmercury (MMHg) concentrations (0.69 ± 0.47 ng L -1 ) were measured in surface water representing 49 ± 11% of the total filtered Hg concentrations (THgF) for both seasons. Enhanced MMHg lability in relation with the water alkalinity, coupled with abundant organic ligands and colloids (especially for downstream mining effluents), are likely factors favoring Hg methylation and MMHg preservation while inhibiting MMHg photodegradation. Lake sediments were identified as the major source of MMHg for the shallow water column. During the dry season, diffusive fluxes were estimated to be 227 ng m -2 d -1 for MMHg. This contribution was found to be negligible during the wet season due to a probable shift of the redox front downwards in the sediments. During the wet season, the results obtained suggest that various sources such as mining effluents and benthic or macrophytic biofilms significantly contribute to MMHg inputs in the water column. This work demonstrates the seasonally dependent synergistic effect of AMD and urban effluents on the shallow, productive and evaporative high altitude lake ecosystems which promotes the formation of natural organometallic toxins such as MMHg in the water column.

40 CFR 463.12 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... concentrations: Subpart A [Contact cooling and heating water] Concentration used to calculate BPT effluent limitations Pollutant or pollutant property Maximum for any 1 day (mg/l) BOD5 26 Oil and grease 29 TSS 19 pH...

Probabilistic analysis of risks to US drinking water intakes from 1,4-dioxane in domestic wastewater treatment plant effluents.

PubMed

Simonich, Staci Massey; Sun, Ping; Casteel, Ken; Dyer, Scott; Wernery, Dave; Garber, Kevin; Carr, Gregory; Federle, Thomas

2013-10-01

The risks of 1,4-dioxane (dioxane) concentrations in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents, receiving primarily domestic wastewater, to downstream drinking water intakes was estimated using distributions of measured dioxane concentrations in effluents from 40 WWTPs and surface water dilution factors of 1323 drinking water intakes across the United States. Effluent samples were spiked with a d8 -1,4-dioxane internal standard in the field immediately after sample collection. Dioxane was extracted with ENVI-CARB-Plus solid phase columns and analyzed by GC/MS/MS, with a limit of quantification of 0.30 μg/L. Measured dioxane concentrations in domestic wastewater effluents ranged from <0.30 to 3.30 μg/L, with a mean concentration of 1.11 ± 0.60 μg/L. Dilution of upstream inputs of effluent were estimated for US drinking water intakes using the iSTREEM model at mean flow conditions, assuming no in-stream loss of dioxane. Dilution factors ranged from 2.6 to 48 113, with a mean of 875. The distributions of dilution factors and dioxane concentration in effluent were then combined using Monte Carlo analysis to estimate dioxane concentrations at drinking water intakes. This analysis showed the probability was negligible (p = 0.0031) that dioxane inputs from upstream WWTPs could result in intake concentrations exceeding the USEPA drinking water advisory concentration of 0.35 μg/L, before any treatment of the water for drinking use. © 2013 SETAC.

Bioaccumulation of decamethylcyclopentasiloxane in perch in Swedish lakes.

PubMed

Kierkegaard, Amelie; Bignert, Anders; McLachlan, Michael S

2013-10-01

Decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5), a high production volume chemical used in personal care products, enters the environment both via air and sewage treatment plant (STP) recipients. It has been found in fish, and there is concern that it may be a bioaccumulative substance. In this work D5 was analyzed in perch from six Swedish lakes that did not receive STP effluent, and in perch and sediment from six lakes that received STP effluent. In the lakes receiving the STP effluent, the D5 concentrations in sediment varied over three orders of magnitude and were correlated with the number of persons connected to the STP normalized to the surface area of the receiving body. In the lakes not receiving effluent, the D5 levels in perch were all below the LOQ, while D5 was above the LOQ in almost all perch from lakes that received effluent. The D5 concentrations in perch and sediment from the lakes receiving STP effluent were correlated. This shows that STP effluent is a much more important source of D5 to aquatic ecosystems than atmospheric deposition, and that the risk of adverse effects of D5 on aquatic life will be greatest in small recipients receiving large amounts of STP effluent. The bioaccumulation of D5 was compared to that of PCB 180 on the basis of multimedia bioaccumulation factors (mmBAFs), which describe the fraction of the contaminant present in the whole aquatic environment (i.e. water and surface sediment) that is transferred to the fish. In four of the six lakes the mmBAF of D5 was >0.3 of the mmBAF of PCB 180. Given that PCB 180 is a known highly bioaccumulative chemical, this indicates that the bioaccumulation of D5 in perch is considerable. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of Morus alba-Bombyx mori as a useful template to assess Pb entrance in the food chain from wastewater.

PubMed

Ashfaq, Muhammad; Khan, Muhammad Imran; Hanif, Muhammad Asif

2009-08-01

This study focused on a 75-d microplot experiment to access lead (Pb) entrance into the terrestrial ecosystem using Morus alba (mulberry) and Bombyx mori (silkworm) as pollution indicator sources. The Pb(II) mobility in different systems was in the following order: synthetic effluents > soil > plant > larva > larva-fecal. The Pb(II) mobility from an inorganic source to different life forms was found to be highly dependent on soil pH and the concentration of Pb in synthetic effluents. At lower concentrations, Pb was less lethal to B. mori larvae. Fifth instars of B. mori were found to be more tolerant to toxicity caused by Pb compared with lower instars. M. alba was not a hyperaccumulator plant because Pb(II) concentration was <1,000 mg/kg at all soil pHs and Pb(II) concentrations in effluents. The maximum amount of Pb(II) detected in soil, mulberry leaves, silkworm larvae, and silkworm feces was 326.5 +/- 0.04, 42.78 +/- 0.02, 61.24 +/- 0.02, and 22.3 +/- 0.02 mg/kg, respectively.

Recirculation of gas emissions to achieve advanced denitrification of the effluent from the anaerobic treatment of domestic wastewater.

PubMed

Pelaz, L; Gómez, A; Garralón, G; Letona, A; Fdz-Polanco, M

2018-02-01

A denitrifying pilot plant was designed, constructed and operated for more than five months. The plant treated domestic wastewater with high ammonium nitrogen concentration, which had previously undergone an anaerobic process at 18 °C. The process consisted of one biofilter with 2 h of hydraulic retention time for denitritation. Different synthetic nitrite concentrations were supplied to the anoxic reactor to simulate the effluent of a nitritation process. This work investigates the advanced denitritation of wastewater using the organic matter and other alternative electron donors present in an anaerobic treatment process effluent: methane and sulfide. The denitrifying bacteria were able to treat wastewater at an inlet nitrite concentration of 75 mg NO 2 - -N/L with a removal efficiency of 92.9%. When the inlet nitrite concentration was higher, the recirculation of the gas from the top of the anoxic reactor was successful to enhance the nitrite removal, achieving a NO 2 - elimination efficiency of 98.3%. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nutrient input from the Loxahatchee River Environmental Control District sewage-treatment plant to the Loxahatchee River Estuary, southeastern Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sonntag, W.H.; McPherson, B.F.

1984-01-01

Two test discharges of treated-sewage effluent were made to the Loxahatchee River in February and September 1981 from the ENCON sewage-treatment plant to document nutrient loading and downstream transport of the effluent to the estuary under maximum daily discharge allowable by law (4 million gallons per day). Concentrations of total nitrogen in the effluent exceeded background concentrations by as much as 7 times during the February test, while concentrations of total phosphorus exceeded background concentrations by as much as 112 times during the September test. The effluent was transported downstream to the estuary in less than 24 hours. Discharge of treated sewage effluent to the river-estuary system in the 1981 water year accounted for less than 0.5 percent of the total nitrogen and 8 percent of the total phosphorus discharged from the major tributaries to the estuary. If maximum discharges of effluent (4 million gallons per day) were sustained throughout the year, annual nitrogen loading from the effluent would account for 5 to 18 percent of the total nitrogen input by the major tributaries to the estuary. With maximum discharges of effluent, annual phosphorus loading would exceed the amount of phosphorus input by the major tributaries to the estuary by 54 to 167 percent. (USGS)

Dairy shed effluent treatment and recycling: Effluent characteristics and performance.

PubMed

Fyfe, Julian; Hagare, Dharma; Sivakumar, Muttucumaru

2016-09-15

Dairy farm milking operations produce considerable amounts of carbon- and nutrient-rich effluent that can be a vital source of nutrients for pasture and crops. The study aim was to characterise dairy shed effluent from a commercial farm and examine the changes produced by treatment, storage and recycling of the effluent through a two-stage stabilisation pond system. The data and insights from the study are broadly applicable to passive pond systems servicing intensive dairy and other livestock operations. Raw effluent contained mostly poorly biodegradable particulate organic material and organically bound nutrients, as well as a large fraction of fixed solids due to effluent recycling. The anaerobic pond provided effective sedimentation and biological treatment, but hydrolysis of organic material occurred predominantly in the sludge and continually added to effluent soluble COD, nutrients and cations. Sludge digestion also suppressed pH in the pond and increased salt levels through formation of alkalinity. High sludge levels significantly impaired pond treatment performance. In the facultative pond, BOD5 concentrations were halved; however smaller reductions in COD showed the refractory nature of incoming organic material. Reductions in soluble N and P were proportional to reductions in respective particulate forms, suggesting that respective removal mechanisms were not independent. Conditions in the ponds were unlikely to support biological nutrient removal. Recycling caused conservative inert constituents to accumulate within the pond system. Material leaving the system was mostly soluble (86% TS) and inert (65% TS), but salt concentrations remained below thresholds for safe land application. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Economic evaluation of alternative wastewater treatment plant options for pulp and paper industry.

PubMed

Buyukkamaci, Nurdan; Koken, Emre

2010-11-15

Excessive water consumption in pulp and paper industry results in high amount of wastewater. Pollutant characteristics of the wastewater vary depending on the processes used in production and the quality of paper produced. However, in general, high organic material and suspended solid contents are considered as major pollutants of pulp and paper industry effluents. The major pollutant characteristics of pulp and paper industry effluents in Turkey were surveyed and means of major pollutant concentrations, which were grouped in three different pollution grades (low, moderate and high strength effluents), and flow rates within 3000 to 10,000m(3)/day range with 1000m(3)/day steps were used as design parameters. Ninety-six treatment plants were designed using twelve flow schemes which were combinations of physical treatment, chemical treatment, aerobic and anaerobic biological processes. Detailed comparative cost analysis which includes investment, operation, maintenance and rehabilitation costs was prepared to determine optimum treatment processes for each pollution grade. The most economic and technically optimal treatment processes were found as extended aeration activated sludge process for low strength effluents, extended aeration activated sludge process or UASB followed by an aeration basin for medium strength effluents, and UASB followed by an aeration basin or UASB followed by the conventional activated sludge process for high strength effluents. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of iodinated X-ray contrast media in sewage by solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Echeverría, S; Borrull, F; Fontanals, N; Pocurull, E

2013-11-15

A method for the quantitative determination of five iodinated X-ray contrast media (ICMs) in sewage was developed by solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. A fused-core analytical column was successfully applied for the first time for the separation of ICMs. Oasis HLB was selected from the sorbents tested because of its higher recoveries. The optimized method allowed the determination of the ICMs at low ng/L levels in both influent and effluent sewage, with detection limits of 40 ng/L and 10 ng/L for most compounds in influent and effluent sewage, respectively. The five ICMs studied were determined in all samples analysed, with iopromide being the analyte found at the highest concentration (8.9 µg/L), while iopamidol was the analyte found at lowest concentration (1.3 µg/L) in influent sewage. Effluent sewage did not show a significant decrease in ICM concentrations. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effluent CA 125 concentration in chronic peritoneal dialysis patients: influence of PD duration, peritoneal transport and PD regimen.

PubMed

Fusshöller, Andreas; Grabensee, Bernd; Plum, Jörg

2003-01-01

In terms of the integrity of the peritoneal membrane in peritoneal dialysis (PD), the peritoneal mesothelial cells play a pivotal role since its monolayer constitutes the first line of the peritoneal membrane. Cancer antigen 125 (CA 125) is released by peritoneal mesothelial cells and correlates with the mesothelial cell mass in PD. Since its effluent concentration is easy to determine in chronic PD patients, CA 125 serves as an in vivo marker of biocompatibility. We performed a cross-sectional study to investigate the relation between PD duration, peritoneal transport and the PD regimen (CAPD/CCPD) on effluent CA 125 concentration in 22 chronic PD patients. We compared long-term (>6 months) with short-term PD treatment, patients with high small solute transport properties (MTAC >11 ml/min, d/p ratio of creatinine >0.72) to patients with low small solute transport and CAPD with APD patients. A peritoneal equilibration test was performed with 1.36% glucose. Dialysate/plasma (D/P) ratio and mass transfer area coefficient (MTAC) of creatinine were calculated and the 4-hour effluent concentration of CA 125 was determined. CA 125 tended to be lower in the long-term PD patients and also in APD patients, but statistical significance was missing. Effluent CA 125 was significantly increased in patients with an MTAC of creatinine >11 ml/min (40.2 +/- 11.2 vs. 20.7 +/- 1.2 U/ml) and in patients with a d/p ratio of creatinine >0.72 (48.2 +/- 11.0 vs. 21.6 +/- 1.6 U/ml). CA 125 and the d/p ratio of creatinine were positively correlated (r = 0.68). The positive correlation of CA 125 with peritoneal small solute transport especially in the early phase of PD treatment indicates an initial correlation of the mesothelial cell mass with the peritoneal surface area. A direct relation between the CA 125 concentration and peritoneal transport is unlikely. In our study the CA 125 effluent concentration tended to be lower in long-term PD patients and also in APD patients, possibly indicating a cell depletory influence of the conventional PD fluid. Copyright 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel

Nutrient removal from swine lagoon effluent by duckweed

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bergmann, B.A.; Cheng, J.; Classen, J.

2000-04-01

Three duckweed geographic isolates were grown on varying concentrations of swine lagoon effluent in a greenhouse to determine their ability to remove nutrients from the effluent. Duckweed biomass was harvested every other day over a 12-day period. Duckweed biomass production, nutrient loss from the swine lagoon effluent, and nutrient content of duckweed biomass were used to identify effluent concentrations/geographic isolate combinations that are effective in terms of nutrient utilization from swine lagoon effluent and production of healthy duckweed biomass. When Lemna minor geographic isolate 8627 was grown on 50% swine lagoon effluent, respective losses of TKN, NH{sub 3}-N, TP, OPO{submore » 4}-P, TOC, K, Cu, and Zn were 83, 100, 49, 31, 68, 21, 28 and 67%.« less

40 CFR 430.14 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... chlorophenolic-containing biocides are used must achieve the following effluent limitations representing the.../kkg (lb/1000 lb) but shall be subject to concentration limitations. Concentration limitations are only applicable to non-continuous dischargers. Permittees not using chlorophenolic-containing biocides must...

Bioplastic production using wood mill effluents as feedstock.

PubMed

Ben, M; Mato, T; Lopez, A; Vila, M; Kennes, C; Veiga, M C

2011-01-01

Fibreboard production is one of the most important industrial activities in Galicia (Spain). Great amounts of wastewater are generated, with properties depending on the type of wood, treatment process, final product and water reusing, among others. These effluents are characterized by a high chemical oxygen demand, low pH and nutrients limitation. Although anaerobic digestion is one of the most suitable processes for the treatment, lately bioplastics production (mainly polyhydroxyalkanoates) from wastewaters with mixed cultures is being evaluated. Substrate requirements for these processes consist of high organic matter content and low nutrient concentration. Therefore, wood mill effluents could be a suitable feedstock. In this work, the possibility of producing bioplastics from to wood mill effluents is evaluated. First, wood mill effluent was converted to volatile fatty acids in an acidogenic reactor operated at two different hydraulic retention times of 1 and 1.5 d. The acidification percentage obtained was 37% and 42%, respectively. Then, aerobic batch assays were performed using fermented wood mill effluents obtained at different hydraulic retention times. Assays were developed using different cultures as inoculums. The maximum storage yield of 0.57 Cmmol/Cmmol was obtained when when the culture was enriched on a synthetic media.

Effects of receiving-water quality and wastewater treatment on injury, survival, and regrowth of fecal-indicator bacteria and implications for assessment of recreational water quality

USGS Publications Warehouse

Francy, D.S.; Hart, T.L.; Virosteck, C.M.

1996-01-01

Bacterial injury, survival, and regrowth were investigated by use of replicate flow-through incubation chambers placed in the Cuyahoga River or Lake Erie in the greater Cleveland metropolitan area during seven 4-day field studies. The chambers contained wastewater or combined-sewer-overflow (CSO) effluents treated three ways-unchlorinated, chlorinated, and dechlorinated. At timestep intervals, the chamber contents were analyzed for concentrations of injured and healthy fecal coliforms by use of standard selective and enhanced-recovery membrane-filtration methods. Mean percent injuries and survivals were calculated from the fecal-coliform concentration data for each field study. The results of analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that treatment affected mean percent injury and survival, whereas site did not. In the warm-weather Lake Erie field study, but not in the warm-weather Cuyahoga River studies, the results of ANOVA indicated that dechlorination enhanced the repair of injuries and regrowth of chlorine-injured fecal coliforms on culture media over chlorination alone. The results of ANOVA on the percent injury from CSO effluent field studies indicated that dechlorination reduced the ability of organisms to recover and regrow on culture media over chlorination alone. However, because of atypical patterns of concentration increases and decreases in some CSO effluent samples, more work needs to be done before the effect of dechlorination and chlorination on reducing fecal-coliform concentrations in CSO effluents can be confirmed. The results of ANOVA on percent survivals found statistically significant differences among the three treatment methods for all but one study. Dechlorination was found to be less effective than chlorination alone in reducing the survival of fecal coliforms in wastewater effluent, but not in CSO effluent. If the concentration of fecal coliforms determined by use of the enhanced-recovery method can be predicted accurately from the concentration found by use of the standard method, then increased monitoring and expense to detect chlorine-injured organisms would be unnecessary. The results of linear regression analysis, however, indicated that the relation between enhanced-recovery and standard-method concentrations was best represented when the data were grouped by treatment. The model generated from linear regression of the unchlorinated data set provided an accurate estimate of enhanced-recovery concentrations from standard-method concentrations, whereas the models generated from the chlorinated and dechlorinated data sets did not. In addition, evaluation of fecal-coliform concentrations found in field studies in terms of Ohio recreational water-quality standards showed that concentrations obtained by standard and enhanced-recovery methods were not comparable. Sample treatment and analysis methods were found to affect the percentage of samples meeting and exceeding Ohio's bathing-water, primary-contact, and secondary-contact standards. Therefore, determining the health risk of swimming in receiving waters was often difficult without information on enhanced-recovery method concentrations and was especially difficult in waters receiving high proportions of chlorinated or dechlorinated effluents.

Electromembrane recycling of highly mineralized alkaline blowdown water from evaporative water treatment plants at thermal power stations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chichirova, N. D.; Chichirov, A. A.; Lyapin, A. I.; Minibaev, A. I.; Silov, I. Yu.; Tolmachev, L. I.

2016-12-01

Thermal power stations (TPS) are the main source of highly mineralized effluents affecting the environment. An analysis of their water systems demonstrates that alkaline effluents prevail at TPSs. Extraction of an alkali from highly mineralized effluents can make the recycling of effluents economically feasible. A method is proposed of electromembrane recycling of liquid alkaline highly mineralized wastes from TPSs. The process includes electromembrane apparatuses of two types, namely, a diffusion dialysis extractor (DDE) intended for extraction of the alkali from a highly mineralized solution having a complex composition and an electrodialysis concentrator for increasing the concentration of the extracted solution to a value suitable for use in water treatment plants at TPSs. For implementation of the first process (i.e. the extraction of alkali from alkaline-salt solution) various membranes from various manufacturers were studied: CM-PAD and AM-PAD (Ralex, Czechia), MK-40, MA-40, MA-41, MA-414, and MB-2 (OOO OKhK "Shchekinoazot", Russia), AR103-QDF and CR61-CMP (Ionies Inc., USA). The experiments demonstrate that the acceptable degree of separation of the alkali and the salt is achieved in a pair of cation-exchange membranes with the efficiency of separation being higher without an electric field. The highest efficiency was attained with Russian-made membranes (MK-40, OOO OKhK "Shchekinoazot"). A full scale experiment on recycling of highly-mineralized blowdown water from the evaporating water treatment system at the Kazan cogeneration power station No. 3 (TETs-3) was performed in a pilot unit consisting of two electromembrane apparatuses made by UAB "Membraninės Technologijos LT". In the experiments every ton of blowdown water yielded 0.1 t of concentrated alkaline solution with an alkali content of up to 4 wt % and 0.9 t of the softened salt solution suitable for the reuse in the TPS cycle. The power rate is 6 kWh / ton of blowdown water.

Contaminant Characterization of Effluent from Pennsylvania Brine Treatment, Inc., Josephine Facility: Implications for Disposal of Oil and Gas Flowback Fluids from Brine Treatment Plants

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The PBT-Josephine Facility accepts only wastewater from the oil and gas industry. This report describes the concentrations of selected contaminants in the effluent water and compares the contaminant effluent concentrations to state and federal standards.

Morphological, Physiological and Biochemical Impact of Ink Industry Effluent on Germination of Maize (Zea mays), Barley (Hordeum vulgare) and Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor).

PubMed

Zayneb, Chaâbene; Lamia, Khanous; Olfa, Ellouze; Naïma, Jebahi; Grubb, C Douglas; Bassem, Khemakhem; Hafedh, Mejdoub; Amine, Elleuch

2015-11-01

The present study focuses on effects of untreated and treated ink industry wastewater on germination of maize, barley and sorghum. Wastewater had a high chemical oxygen demand (COD) and metal content compared to treated effluent. Germination decreased with increasing COD concentration. Speed of germination also followed the same trend, except for maize seeds exposed to untreated effluent (E), which germinated slightly faster than controls. These alterations of seedling development were mirrored by changes in soluble protein content. E exerted a positive effect on soluble protein content and maximum levels occurred after 10 days with treated effluent using coagulation/flocculation (TEc/f) process and treated effluent using combined process (coagulation/flocculation/biosorption) (TEc/f/b). Likewise, activity of α-amylase was influenced by effluent composition. Its expression depended on the species, exposure time and applied treatment. Nevertheless, current results indicated TEc/f/b had no observable toxic effects on germination and could be a beneficial alternative resource to irrigation water.

Effluent quality from 200 on-site sewage systems: design values for guidelines.

PubMed

Charles, K J; Ashbolt, N J; Roser, D J; McGuinness, R; Deere, D A

2005-01-01

The quality of effluent from an on-site sewage treatment system is a critical factor in designing the disposal area and, hence, ensuring the sustained performance of the system. Contaminant concentrations in effluent are typically specified in regulatory guidelines or standards; however, the accuracy of these guideline values are brought into question due to the poor performance of septic tanks and the high failure rates of disposal systems reported here and elsewhere. Results from studies of septic tank effluent quality indicated that the effluent is of poorer quality than currently suggested by guidelines. Aerated wastewater treatment systems were found to perform to accreditation guidelines; however, insufficient nutrient data is presently available to assess nutrient loads. It is proposed that the 80th percentile of system performance be adopted as the design value for sizing effluent disposal areas to minimise failure associated with overloading. For septic tanks this equates to 660 mg L(-1) SS, 330 mg L(-1) BOD, 250 mg L(-1) TN and 36 mg L(-1) TP.

Performance of anaerobic fluidized membrane bioreactors using effluents of microbial fuel cells treating domestic wastewater.

PubMed

Kim, Kyoung-Yeol; Yang, Wulin; Ye, Yaoli; LaBarge, Nicole; Logan, Bruce E

2016-05-01

Anaerobic fluidized membrane bioreactors (AFMBRs) have been mainly developed as a post-treatment process to produce high quality effluent with very low energy consumption. The performance of an AFMBR was examined using the effluent from a microbial fuel cell (MFC) treating domestic wastewater, as a function of AFMBR hydraulic retention times (HRTs) and organic matter loading rates. The MFC-AFMBR achieved 89 ± 3% removal of the chemical oxygen demand (COD), with an effluent of 36 ± 6 mg-COD/L over 112 days operation. The AFMBR had very stable operation, with no significant changes in COD removal efficiencies, for HRTs ranging from 1.2 to 3.8h, although the effluent COD concentration increased with organic loading. Transmembrane pressure (TMP) was low, and could be maintained below 0.12 bar through solids removal. This study proved that the AFMBR could be operated with a short HRT but a low COD loading rate was required to achieve low effluent COD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Predicting the physical effects of relocating Boston's sewage outfall

USGS Publications Warehouse

Signell, R.P.; Jenter, H.L.; Blumberg, A.F.

2000-01-01

Boston is scheduled to cease discharge of sewage effluent in Boston Harbor in Spring 2000 and begin discharge at a site 14 km offshore in Massachusetts Bay in a water depth of about 30 m. The effects of this outfall relocation on effluent dilution, salinity and circulation are predicted with a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model. The simulations predict that the new bay outfall will greatly decrease effluent concentrations in Boston Harbor (relative to the harbour outfall) and will not significantly change mean effluent concentrations over most of Massachusetts Bay. With the harbour outfall, previous observations and these simulations show that effluent concentrations exceed 0??5% throughout the harbour, with a harbour wide average of 1-2%. With the bay outfall, effluent concentrations exceed 0??5% only within a few km of the new outfall, and harbour concentrations drop to 0??1-0??2%, a 10-fold reduction. During unstratified winter conditions, the local increase in effluent concentration at the bay outfall site is predicted to exist throughout the water column. During stratified summer conditions, however, effluent released at the sea bed rises and is trapped beneath the pycnocline. The local increase in effluent concentration is limited to the lower layer, and as a result, surface layer effluent concentrations in the vicinity of the new outfall site are predicted to decrease (relative to the harbour outfall) during the summer. Slight changes are predicted for the salinity and circulation fields. Removing the fresh water associated with the effluent discharge in Boston Harbor is predicted to increase the mean salinity of the harbour by 0??5 and decrease the mean salinity by 0??10-0??15 within 2-3 km of the outfall. Relative to the existing mean flow, the buoyant discharge at the new outfall is predicted to generate density-driven mean currents of 2-4 cm s-1 that spiral out in a clockwise motion at the surface during winter and at the pycnocline (15-20 m depth) during summer. Compensating counterclockwise currents are predicted to spiral in toward the source at the bottom. Because the scale of the residual current structure induced by the new discharge is comparable to or smaller than typical subtidal water parcel excursions, Lagrangian trajectories will not follow the Eulerian residual flow. Thus, mean currents measured from moorings within 5 km of the bay outfall site will be more useful for model comparison than to indicate net transport pathways.

Environmental and health impacts of effluents from textile industries in Ethiopia: the case of Gelan and Dukem, Oromia Regional State.

PubMed

Dadi, Diriba; Stellmacher, Till; Senbeta, Feyera; Van Passel, Steven; Azadi, Hossein

2017-01-01

This study focuses on four textile industries (DH-GEDA, NOYA, ALMHADI, and ALSAR) established between 2005 and 2008 in the peri-urban areas of Dukem and Gelan. The objectives of the study were to generate baseline information regarding the concentration levels of selected pollutants and to analyze their effects on biophysical environments. This study also attempts to explore the level of exposure that humans and livestock have to polluted effluents and the effects thereof. The findings of this study are based on data empirically collected from two sources: laboratory analysis of sample effluents from the four selected textile plants and quantitative as well as qualitative socioeconomic data collection. As part of the latter, a household survey and focus group discussions (FGDs) with elderly and other focal persons were employed in the towns of Dukem and Gelan. The results of the study show that large concentrations of biological oxygen demand (BOD 5 ), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), and pH were found in all the observed textile industries, at levels beyond the permissible discharge limit set by the national Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). Furthermore, sulfide (S 2) , R-phosphate (R-PO 4 3 ), and Zn were found in large concentrations in DH-GEDA and ALMHADI, while high concentrations were also identified in samples taken from ALSAR and ALMHADI. In spite of the clear-cut legal tools, this study shows that the local environment, people, and their livestock are exposed to highly contaminated effluents. We therefore recommend that the respective federal and regional government bodies should reexamine the compliance to and actual implementation of the existing legal procedures and regulations and respond appropriately.

Spatiotemporal variability of inorganic nutrients during wastewater effluent dominated streamflow conditions in Indian Creek, Johnson County, Kansas, 2012–15

USGS Publications Warehouse

Foster, Guy M.; Graham, Jennifer L.; Williams, Thomas J.; King, Lindsey R.

2016-10-31

Nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus, are a leading cause of water-quality impairment in Kansas and the Nation. Indian Creek is one of the most urban drainage basins in Johnson County, Kansas, and environmental and biological conditions are affected by contaminants from point and other urban sources. The Johnson County Douglas L. Smith Middle Basin (hereinafter Middle Basin) wastewater treatment facility (WWTF) is the largest point-source discharge on Indian Creek. A second facility, the Tomahawk Creek WWTF, discharges into Indian Creek approximately 11.6 kilometers downstream from the Middle Basin WWTF. To better characterize the spatiotemporal variability of nutrients in Indian Creek, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and Johnson County Wastewater, collected high-resolution spatial and temporal (a large number of samples collected over the entire reach or at single locations over a long period of time) inorganic nutrient (nitrate plus nitrite and orthophosphorus) data using a combination of discrete samples and sensor-measured data during 2012 through 2015.Nutrient patterns observed in Indian Creek along the upstream-downstream gradient during wastewater effluent dominated streamflow conditions were largely affected by the WWTFs and by travel time of the parcels of water. Nitrate plus nitrite concentrations in the Middle Basin WWTF effluent and at downstream sites varied by as much as 6 milligrams per liter over a 24-hour period. The cyclical variability in the Middle Basin WWTF effluent generated a nitrate plus nitrite pulse that could be tracked for approximately 11.5 kilometers downstream in Indian Creek, until the effect was masked by the Tomahawk Creek WWTF effluent discharge. All longitudinal surveys showed the same general patterns along the upstream-downstream gradient, though streamflows, wastewater effluent contributions to streamflow, and nutrient concentrations spanned a wide range. Differences in orthophosphorus and nitrate plus nitrite patterns were clear along the upstream-downstream gradient in Indian Creek, and orthophosphorus concentrations were not as variable as nitrate plus nitrite concentrations. In general, nitrate plus nitrite concentrations decreased downstream from the Middle Basin WWTF to minima near the confluence with Tomahawk Creek, increased downstream from the Tomahawk Creek WWTF, and then varied little within the study reach. Orthophosphorus concentrations generally decreased downstream from the Middle Basin WWTF.Despite the marked variability in nitrate plus nitrite concentrations caused by the Middle Basin WWTF effluent discharges, decreases in nitrate plus nitrite concentrations were discernable along the study reach between the two WWTFs. Decreases in nitrate plus nitrite concentrations along study reach were less variable than the cyclical variability typically measured, reiterating the effect of the Middle Basin WWTF effluent discharges on the spatiotemporal variability of nitrate plus nitrite in Indian Creek. Although decreases and rates of change in nitrate plus nitrite concentration were similar between the upper and lower reaches of Indian Creek, relations with initial nitrate plus nitrite concentrations and seasonal patterns were different between the upper (from College to the Marty study sites) and lower reaches (from Marty to the Mission Farms study sites) and did not reflect patterns observed for the overall reach. Quantifying the decreases in nitrate plus nitrite concentration caused by dilution and other in-stream processes were beyond the scope of this study, and were limited by available data. The data that are available suggest that dilution and other in-stream processes play a role in decreasing nitrate plus nitrite concentrations downstream from the Middle Basin WWTF in Indian Creek.Analysis of the spatiotemporal variability of nutrients focused on below-normal and normal streamflow conditions, when streamflow and nutrient conditions in Indian Creek were largely controlled by WWTF effluent flows and nutrient removal processes. Spatial and temporal data indicate there are decreases in nutrient concentrations along the upstream-downstream gradient in Indian Creek, but quantifying decreases is complicated by the variability in nutrient concentrations caused by the WWTFs. During below-normal and normal streamflow conditions, Indian Creek nutrient concentrations downstream from the Middle Basin WWTF primarily reflect effluent concentrations in the hours or days before depending on relative distance downstream.

Application of novel Modified Biological Aerated Filter (MBAF) as a promising post-treatment for water reuse: Modification in configuration and backwashing process.

PubMed

Nikoonahad, Ali; Ghaneian, Mohammad Taghi; Mahvi, Amir Hossein; Ehrampoush, Mohammad Hassan; Ebrahimi, Ali Asghar; Lotfi, Mohammad Hassan; Salamehnejad, Sima

2017-12-01

Biological Aerated Filter (BAF) reactors due to their plentiful biomass, high shockability, high efficiency, good filtration, availability and lack of need for large land areas, are enjoying from great importance in advanced wastewater treatment. Therefore, in this study, Polystyrene Coated by Sand (PCS) was produced as a novel media and its application in a modified down-flow BAF structure for advanced wastewater treatment was assessed in two steps. In step one, the backwash effluent did not return to the system, while in step two backwash effluent returned to increase the water reuse efficiency. The backwash process was also studied through three methods of Top Backwashing (TB), Bottom Backwashing (BB), as well as Top and Bottom Backwashing Simultaneously (TBBS). The results showed that return of backwash effluent had no significant effect on the BAF effluent quality. In the second step similar to the first one with slight differences, the residual average concentrations of TSS, BOD 5 , and COD at the effluent were about 2.5, 8.2, and 25.5 mg/L, respectively. Additionally, in step two, the mean volume of disposal sludge/volume of treated water (v ds /v tw ) decreased a large extent to about 0.088%. In other words, the water reuse has increased to more than 99.91%. The backwash time in methods of TB and BB were 65 and 35 min, respectively; however, it decreased in TBBS methods to 25 min. The concentrations of most effluent parameters in this system are in concordance with the 2012 EPA Agriculture Standards, even for irrigation of Non-processed agricultural crops and livestock water consumption. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Monitoring hospital wastewaters for their probable genotoxicity and mutagenicity.

PubMed

Sharma, Pratibha; Mathur, N; Singh, A; Sogani, M; Bhatnagar, P; Atri, R; Pareek, S

2015-01-01

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. Excluding the genetic factors, environmental factors, mainly the pollutants, have been implicated in the causation of the majority of cancers. Wastewater originated from health-care sectors such as hospitals may carry vast amounts of carcinogenic and genotoxic chemicals to surface waters or any other source of drinking water, if discharged untreated. Humans get exposed to such contaminants through a variety of ways including drinking water. The aim of the present study was, thus, to monitor the genotoxic and mutagenic potential of wastewaters from three big hospitals located in Jaipur (Rajasthan), India. One of them was operating an effluent treatment plant (ETP) for treatment of its wastewater and therefore both the untreated and treated effluents from this hospital were studied for their genotoxicity. Two short-term bacterial bioassays namely the Salmonella fluctuation assay and the SOS chromotest were used for the purpose. Results of fluctuation assay revealed the highly genotoxic nature of all untreated effluent samples with mutagenicity ratios (MR) up to 23.13 ± 0.18 and 42.25 ± 0.35 as measured with Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98 and TA100, respectively. As determined with the chromotest, all untreated effluents produced significant induction factors (IF) ranging from 3.29 ± 1.11 to 13.35 ± 3.58 at higher concentrations. In contrast, treated effluent samples were found to be slightly genotoxic in fluctuation test only with an MR = 3.75 ± 0.35 for TA100 at 10 % concentration. Overall, the results indicated that proper treatment of hospital wastewaters may render the effluents safe for disposal contrary to the untreated ones, possessing high genotoxic potential.

Origin of increased sulfate in groundwater at the ETF disposal site

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thornton, E.C.

1997-09-01

Treated effluent being discharged to the vadose zone from the C-018H Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF) at the Hanford Site has infiltrated vertically to the unconfined aquifer, as indicated by increasing tritium activity levels in the groundwater. Well 699-48-77A, in particular, exhibits increased levels of tritium and also sulfate in the groundwater. The origin of increased sulfate levels in the groundwater is attributed to the dissolution of gypsum as the effluent flows through the vadose zone. This is supported by the observation that sulfate was found to be present in soils collected from the vadose zone at an average value ofmore » about 10.6 ppm. The maximum observed sulfate concentration of 190 mg/L from well 699-48-77A was observed on August 6, 1996, and is less than the maximum value of 879 mg/L that potentially could be achieved if water in the vadose zone was to attain saturation with respect to gypsum and calcite. It is suggested that infiltration rates were high enough that the effluent did not completely equilibrate with gypsum in the vadose zone, and thus, sulfate levels remained below gypsum saturation levels. Sulfate levels appear to be dropping, which may be attributed to the completion of the dissolution of the bulk of gypsum present along the vadose zone flow path traversed by the effluent. Geochemical modeling was undertaken to evaluate the influence of effluent chemistry on sulfate concentration levels in the presence of excess calcite and gypsum. In general, the effect is fairly minor for dilute solutions, but becomes more significant for concentrated solutions.« less

Seawater-driven forward osmosis for enriching nitrogen and phosphorous in treated municipal wastewater: effect of membrane properties and feed solution chemistry.

PubMed

Xue, Wenchao; Tobino, Tomohiro; Nakajima, Fumiyuki; Yamamoto, Kazuo

2015-02-01

Seawater-driven forward osmosis (FO) is considered to be a novel strategy to concentrate nutrients in treated municipal wastewater for further recovery as well as simultaneous discharge of highly purified wastewater into the sea with low cost. As a preliminary test, the performance of FO membranes in concentrating nutrients was investigated by both batch experiments and model simulation approaches. With synthetic seawater as the draw solution, the dissolved organic carbon, phosphate, and ammonia in the effluent from a membrane bioreactor (MBR) treating municipal wastewater were 2.3-fold, 2.3-fold, and 2.1-fold, respectively, concentrated by the FO process with approximately 57% of water reduction. Most of the dissolved components, including trace metals in the MBR effluent, were highly retained (>80%) in the feed side, indicating high water quality of permeate to be discharged. The effect of membrane properties on the nutrient enrichment performance was investigated by comparing three types of FO membranes. Interestingly, a polyamide membrane possessing a high negative charge demonstrated a poor capability of retaining ammonia, which was hypothesized because of an ion exchange-like mechanism across the membrane prompted by the high ionic concentration of the draw solution. A feed solution pH of 7 was demonstrated to be an optimum condition for improving the overall retention of nutrients, especially for ammonia because of the pH-dependent speciation of ammonia/ammonium forms. The modeling results showed that higher than 10-fold concentrations of ammonia and phosphate are achievable by seawater-driven FO with a draw solution to feed solution volume ratio of 2:1. The enriched municipal wastewater contains nitrogen and phosphorous concentrations comparable with typical animal wastewater and anaerobic digestion effluent, which are used for direct nutrient recovery. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changes in metal mobility associated with bark beetle-induced tree mortality.

PubMed

Mikkelson, Kristin M; Bearup, Lindsay A; Navarre-Sitchler, Alexis K; McCray, John E; Sharp, Jonathan O

2014-05-01

Recent large-scale beetle infestations have caused extensive mortality to conifer forests resulting in alterations to dissolved organic carbon (DOC) cycling, which in turn can impact metal mobility through complexation. This study analyzed soil-water samples beneath impacted trees in concert with laboratory flow-through soil column experiments to explore possible impacts of the bark beetle infestation on metal release and transport. The columns mimicked field conditions by introducing pine needle leachate and artificial rainwater through duplicate homogenized soil columns and measuring effluent metal (focusing on Al, Cu, and Zn) and DOC concentrations. All three metals were consistently found in higher concentrations in the effluent of columns receiving pine needle leachate. In both the field and laboratory, aluminum mobility was largely correlated with the hydrophobic fraction of the DOC, while copper had the largest correlation with total DOC concentrations. Geochemical speciation modeling supported the presence of DOC-metal complexes in column experiments. Copper soil water concentrations in field samples supported laboratory column results, as they were almost twice as high under grey phase trees than under red phase trees further signifying the importance of needle drop. Pine needle leachate contained high concentrations of Zn (0.1 mg l(-1)), which led to high effluent zinc concentrations and sorption of zinc to the soil matrix representing a future potential source for release. In support, field soil-water samples underneath beetle-impacted trees where the needles had recently fallen contained approximately 50% more zinc as samples from under beetle-impacted trees that still held their needles. The high concentrations of carbon in the pine needle leachate also led to increased sorption in the soil matrix creating the potential for subsequent carbon release. While unclear if manifested in adjacent surface waters, these results demonstrate an increased potential for Zn, Cu, and Al mobility, along with increased deposition of metals and carbon beneath beetle-impacted trees.

Trace levels of sewage effluent are sufficient to increase class 1 integron prevalence in freshwater biofilms without changing the core community.

PubMed

Lehmann, Katja; Bell, Thomas; Bowes, Michael J; Amos, Gregory C A; Gaze, Will H; Wellington, Elizabeth M H; Singer, Andrew C

2016-12-01

Most river systems are impacted by sewage effluent. It remains unclear if there is a lower threshold to the concentration of sewage effluent that can significantly change the structure of the microbial community and its mobile genetic elements in a natural river biofilm. We used novel in situ mesocosms to conduct replicated experiments to study how the addition of low-level concentrations of sewage effluent (nominally 2.5 ppm) affects river biofilms in two contrasting Chalk river systems, the Rivers Kennet and Lambourn (high/low sewage impact, respectively). 16S sequencing and qPCR showed that community composition was not significantly changed by the sewage effluent addition, but class 1 integron prevalence (Lambourn control 0.07% (SE ± 0.01), Lambourn sewage effluent 0.11% (SE ± 0.006), Kennet control 0.56% (SE ± 0.01), Kennet sewage effluent 1.28% (SE ± 0.16)) was significantly greater in the communities exposed to sewage effluent than in the control flumes (ANOVA, F = 5.11, p = 0.045) in both rivers. Furthermore, the difference in integron prevalence between the Kennet control (no sewage effluent addition) and Kennet sewage-treated samples was proportionally greater than the difference in prevalence between the Lambourn control and sewage-treated samples (ANOVA (interaction between treatment and river), F = 6.42, p = 0.028). Mechanisms that lead to such differences could include macronutrient/biofilm or phage/bacteria interactions. Our findings highlight the role that low-level exposure to complex polluting mixtures such as sewage effluent can play in the spread of antibiotic resistance genes. The results also highlight that certain conditions, such as macronutrient load, might accelerate spread of antibiotic resistance genes. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Experiences from the full-scale implementation of a new two-stage vertical flow constructed wetland design.

PubMed

Langergraber, Guenter; Pressl, Alexander; Haberl, Raimund

2014-01-01

This paper describes the results of the first full-scale implementation of a two-stage vertical flow constructed wetland (CW) system developed to increase nitrogen removal. The full-scale system was constructed for the Bärenkogelhaus, which is located in Styria at the top of a mountain, 1,168 m above sea level. The Bärenkogelhaus has a restaurant with 70 seats, 16 rooms for overnight guests and is a popular site for day visits, especially during weekends and public holidays. The CW treatment system was designed for a hydraulic load of 2,500 L.d(-1) with a specific surface area requirement of 2.7 m(2) per person equivalent (PE). It was built in fall 2009 and started operation in April 2010 when the restaurant was re-opened. Samples were taken between July 2010 and June 2013 and were analysed in the laboratory of the Institute of Sanitary Engineering at BOKU University using standard methods. During 2010 the restaurant at Bärenkogelhaus was open 5 days a week whereas from 2011 the Bärenkogelhaus was open only on demand for events. This resulted in decreased organic loads of the system in the later period. In general, the measured effluent concentrations were low and the removal efficiencies high. During the whole period the ammonia nitrogen effluent concentration was below 1 mg/L even at effluent water temperatures below 3 °C. Investigations during high-load periods, i.e. events like weddings and festivals at weekends, with more than 100 visitors, showed a very robust treatment performance of the two-stage CW system. Effluent concentrations of chemical oxygen demand and NH4-N were not affected by these events with high hydraulic loads.

Effects of pulp and paper mill effluents on reproductive success of largemouth bass.

PubMed

Sepúlveda, Maria S; Quinn, Brian P; Denslow, Nancy D; Holm, Stewart E; Gross, Timothy S

2003-01-01

This study evaluated the effects of bleached and unbleached kraft mill effluent on reproductive success of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). Bass were exposed to effluent concentrations (0, 10, 20, 40, or 80%) for 28 and 56 d. Parameters measured included hepatosomatic index (HSI) and gonadosomatic index (GSI) and plasma concentrations of 17beta-estradiol (E2), 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT), and vitellogenin (VTG). At the end of the 56-d period, bass were moved to hatchery ponds to evaluate spawning success. Spawning mats with eggs either were brought indoors for evaluation of fecundities, hatchabilities, and egg and fry size (measured at age 3 d), or were left in ponds and fry number and size recorded (average age of 14 d). Effluent exposure was verified by measuring resin acids (isopimaric, abietic. and dehydroabietic acids) in bile. Compared to controls, exposed bass had greater concentrations of resin acids in bile. In general, exposed females had lower concentrations of E2 and VTG (> or = 20% effluent), whereas males had lower concentrations of 11-KT (> or = 20% effluent) and increased E2 (> or = 20% effluent). The HSI values increased in females (> or = 10% effluent), and GSI values decreased in both sexes (> or = 40% effluent). Fecundity, egg size, and hatchability did not differ across treatments, but an increase in the frequency of fry abnormalities and a decrease in fry weights was observed at effluent exposures of 40% and higher. However, results from the pond study, revealed a significant reduction in fry growth and survival (> or = 10%). This decline may have been caused by an increased frequency of deformities, in conjunction with alterations of growth. These changes could have resulted from alterations in egg quality because of failure of parental reproductive systems, from acute embryo toxicity after translocation of contaminants from the mother to the developing embryo, or from both.

Kinetics and capacities of phosphorus sorption to tertiary stage wastewater alum solids, and process implications for achieving low-level phosphorus effluents.

PubMed

Maher, Chris; Neethling, J B; Murthy, Sudhir; Pagilla, Krishna

2015-11-15

The role of adsorption and/or complexation in removal of reactive or unreactive effluent phosphorus by already formed chemical precipitates or complexes has been investigated. Potential operational efficiency gains resulting from age of chemically precipitated tertiary alum sludge and the recycle of sludge to the process stream was undertaken at the Iowa Hill Water Reclamation Facility which employs the DensaDeg(®) process (IDI, Richmond, VA) for tertiary chemical P removal to achieve a filtered final effluent total phosphorus concentration of <30 μg/L. The effect of sludge solids age was found to be insignificant over the solids retention time (SRT) of 2-8 days, indicating that the solids were unaffected by the aging effects of decreasing porosity and surface acidity. The bulk of solids inventory was retained in the clarifier blanket, providing no advantage in P removal from increased solids inventory at higher SRTs. When solids recycle was redirected from the traditional location of the flocculation reactor to a point just prior to chemical addition in the chemical mixing reactor, lower effluent soluble P concentrations at lower molar doses of aluminum were achieved. At laboratory scale, the "spent" or "waste" chemical alum sludge from P removal showed high capacity and rapid kinetics for P sorption from real wastewater effluents. Saturation concentrations were in the range of 8-29 mg soluble reactive P/g solids. Higher saturation concentrations were found at higher temperatures. Alum sludge produced without a coagulant aid polymer had a much higher capacity for P sorption than polymer containing alum sludge. The adsorption reaction reached equilibrium in less than 10 min with 50% or greater removal within the first minute. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Markers of anthropogenic contamination: A validated method for quantification of pharmaceuticals, illicit drug metabolites, perfluorinated compounds, and plasticisers in sewage treatment effluent and rain runoff.

PubMed

Wilkinson, John L; Swinden, Julian; Hooda, Peter S; Barker, James; Barton, Stephen

2016-09-01

An effective, specific and accurate method is presented for the quantification of 13 markers of anthropogenic contaminants in water using solid phase extraction (SPE) followed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Validation was conducted according to the International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH) guidelines. Method recoveries ranged from 77 to 114% and limits of quantification between 0.75 and 4.91 ng/L. A study was undertaken to quantify the concentrations and loadings of the selected contaminants in 6 sewage treatment works (STW) effluent discharges as well as concentrations in 5 rain-driven street runoffs and field drainages. Detection frequencies in STW effluent ranged from 25% (ethinylestradiol) to 100% (benzoylecgonine, bisphenol-A (BPA), bisphenol-S (BPS) and diclofenac). Average concentrations of detected compounds in STW effluents ranged from 3.62 ng/L (ethinylestradiol) to 210 ng/L (BPA). Levels of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) as well as the plasticiser BPA were found in street runoff at maximum levels of 1160 ng/L, 647 ng/L and 2405 ng/L respectively (8.52, 3.09 and 2.7 times more concentrated than maximum levels in STW effluents respectively). Rain-driven street runoff may have an effect on levels of PFCs and plasticisers in receiving rivers and should be further investigated. Together, this method with the 13 selected contaminants enables the quantification of various markers of anthropogenic pollutants: inter alia pharmaceuticals, illicit drugs and their metabolites from humans and improper disposal of drugs, while the plasticisers and perfluorinated compounds may also indicate contamination from industrial and transport activity (street runoff). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ecotoxicological studies with newly hatched larvae of Concholepas concholepas (Mollusca, Gastropoda): bioassay with secondary-treated kraft pulp mill effluents.

PubMed

Manríquez, Patricio H; Llanos-Rivera, Alejandra; Galaz, Sylvana; Camaño, Andrés

2013-12-01

The Chilean abalone or "loco" (Concholepas concholepas, Bruguière 1789) represent the most economically important marine recourse exploited from inner inshore Management and Exploitation Areas for Benthic Resources along the Chilean coast. In this study, newly-hatched larvae of C. concholepas were investigated as a potential model species for marine ecotoxicological studies. The study developed a behavioral standard protocol for assessing the impact that kraft pulp mill effluents after secondary treatment have on C. concholepas larvae. Under controlled laboratory conditions, newly-hatched larvae were exposed to a series of different concentrations of kraft pulp mill effluents with secondary treatment (Pinus spp. and Eucalyptus spp.), potassium dichromate as standard reference toxicant and effluent-free control conditions. Regardless of the type of effluent the results indicated that diluted kraft pulp effluent with secondary treatment had reduced effect on larval survival. Low larval survivals were only recorded when they were exposed to high concentrations of the reference toxicant. This suggests that C. concholepas larval bioassay is a simple method for monitoring the effects of kraft pulp mill effluents with secondary treatment discharged into the sea. The results indicated that dilution of ca. 1% of the effluent with an elemental chlorine free (ECF) secondary treatment is appropriate for achieving low larval mortalities, such as those obtained under control conditions with filtered seawater, and to minimize their impact on early ontogenetic stages of marine invertebrates such as newly-hatched larvae of C. concholepas. The methodological aspects of toxicological testing and behavioral responses described here with newly-hatched larvae of C. concholepas can be used to evaluate in the future the potential effects of other stressful conditions as other pollutants or changes in seawater pH associated with ocean acidification. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

VOC amounts in ambient areas of a high-technology science park in Taiwan: their reciprocal correlations and impact on inhabitants.

PubMed

Liu, Hsin-Wang; Wu, Bei-Zen; Nian, Hung-Chi; Chen, Hsing-Jung; Lo, Jiunn-Guang; Chiu, Kong-Hwa

2012-02-01

This study presents bihourly, seasonal, and yearly concentration changes in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the inlet and effluent water of the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) of a high-technology science park (HTIP) in Taiwan, with the VOC amounts at different sites correlated geologically. This research adopted a combination of two systems, solid-phase microextraction with a gas chromatography/flame ionization detector and an assembly of purge and trap coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, to monitor polar and nonpolar VOCs in wastewater. This paper investigated the total VOCs, acetone, isopropyl alcohol (IPA), and dimethylsulfide (DMS) concentrations in real water samples collected in the ambient area of the HTIP. The major contents of VOCs measured in the effluent of the WWTP in the HTIP and the surrounding river region were DMS (14-176 ppb), acetone (5-95 ppb), and IPA (15-316 ppb). In comparison with the total VOCs in the inlet wastewater of the WWTP, no corresponding relationship for total VOC concentration in the wastewater was observed between the inlet water and effluent water of the WWTP. The peak VOC concentrations appeared in the third season, and the correlation of different VOC amounts reflects the production situation of the factories. In addition, VOC concentrations at different sites indicate that the Ke-Ya River is seemingly an effective channel for transporting wastewater to its final destination. The data are good indications for the management of environmental pollution near the HTIP.

The effects of a secondary-treated bleached kraft mill effluent on aquatic organisms as assessed by short-term and long-term laboratory tests.

PubMed

Kovacs, T G; Gibbons, J S; Tremblay, L A; O'Connor, B I; Martel, P H; Voss, R H

1995-06-01

The chronic effects of secondary-treated effluent from a bleached kraft mill were assessed by means of long-term and short-term laboratory tests. In the long-term test, the effects of the effluent on the life cycle of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) were studied. In this experiment, which began with the egg stage and continued through to sexual maturity and reproduction, the fish were exposed in the laboratory to well water (control) and five concentrations (viz., 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10, or 20%) of effluent for 275 days. The effluent concentrations did not significantly affect the hatching of the eggs, the mortality of the hatched fish, the incidence of visible morphological abnormalities, the mortality and the hatchability of the first generation eggs and larvae, and the weights of minnows at various stages of development. Based on a conservative evaluation of the data, a significant finding of this work was that effluent concentrations > or = 2.5% caused lower egg production as well as changes in the gender balance (i.e., increased numbers of individuals with male secondary sexual characteristics) of the fish. Further work is required to understand the causes and ecological significance of these findings. Two short-term tests, each lasting 7 days, were also run. In one, even 100% effluent did not reduce the survival or growth of minnow larvae, correctly predicting the lack of effluent effects on similar endpoints in the long-term test. In the other short-term test, while the survival of Ceriodaphnia was also unaffected by 100% effluent, their reproductive capacity was reduced, but only at effluent concentrations an order of magnitude greater than those affecting the reproduction of minnows in the long-term test.

Removal of pharmaceuticals from MWTP effluent by nanofiltration and solar photo-Fenton using two different iron complexes at neutral pH.

PubMed

Miralles-Cuevas, S; Oller, I; Pérez, J A Sánchez; Malato, S

2014-11-01

In recent years, membrane technologies (nanofiltration (NF)/reverse osmosis (RO)) have received much attention for micropollutant separation from Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant (MWTP) effluents. Practically all micropollutants are retained in the concentrate stream, which must be treated. Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) have been demonstrated to be a good option for the removal of microcontaminants from water systems. However, these processes are expensive, and therefore, are usually combined with other techniques (such as membrane systems) in an attempt at cost reduction. One of the main costs in solar photo-Fenton comes from reagent consumption, mainly hydrogen peroxide and chemicals for pH adjustment. Thus, in this study, solar photo-Fenton was used to treat a real MWTP effluent with low initial iron (less than 0.2 mM) and hydrogen peroxide (less than 2 mM) concentrations. In order to work at neutral pH, iron complexing agents (EDDS and citrate) were used in the two cases studied: direct treatment of the MWTP effluent and treatment of the concentrate stream generated by NF. The degradation of five pharmaceuticals (carbamazepine, flumequine, ibuprofen, ofloxacin and sulfamethoxazole) spiked in the effluent at low initial concentrations (μg L(-1)) was monitored as the main variable in the pilot-plant-scale photo-Fenton experiments. In both effluents, pharmaceuticals were efficiently removed (>90%), requiring low accumulated solar energy (2 kJUV L(-1), key parameter in scaling up the CPC photoreactor) and low iron and hydrogen peroxide concentrations (reagent costs, 0.1 and 1.5 mM, respectively). NF provided a clean effluent, and the concentrate was positively treated by solar photo-Fenton with no significant differences between the direct MWTP effluent and NF concentrate treatments. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 463.22 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 6.0 to 9.0 at all times. The permit authority will obtain the... cleaning water processes at a point source times the following pollutant concentrations: Subpart B [Cleaning water] Concentration used to calculate BPT effluent limitations Pollutant or pollutant property...

40 CFR 463.32 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... for the finishing water processes at a point source times the following pollutant concentrations: Subpart C [Finishing water] Concentration used to calculate BPT effluent limitations Pollutant or pollutant property Maximum for any 1 day (mg/l) Maximum for monthly average (mg/l) TSS 130 37 pH (1) (1) 1...

40 CFR 463.32 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... finishing water processes at a point source times the following pollutant concentrations: Subpart C [Finishing water] Concentration used to calculate BPT effluent limitations Pollutant or pollutant property Maximum for any 1 day (mg/l) Maximum for monthly average (mg/l) TSS 130 37 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range...

40 CFR 463.32 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... for the finishing water processes at a point source times the following pollutant concentrations: Subpart C [Finishing water] Concentration used to calculate BPT effluent limitations Pollutant or pollutant property Maximum for any 1 day (mg/l) Maximum for monthly average (mg/l) TSS 130 37 pH (1) (1) 1...

40 CFR 463.32 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... for the finishing water processes at a point source times the following pollutant concentrations: Subpart C [Finishing water] Concentration used to calculate BPT effluent limitations Pollutant or pollutant property Maximum for any 1 day (mg/l) Maximum for monthly average (mg/l) TSS 130 37 pH (1) (1) 1...

Assessment of full-scale biological nutrient removal systems upgraded with physico-chemical processes for the removal of emerging pollutants present in wastewaters from Mexico.

PubMed

Estrada-Arriaga, Edson Baltazar; Cortés-Muñoz, Juana Enriqueta; González-Herrera, Arturo; Calderón-Mólgora, César Guillermo; de Lourdes Rivera-Huerta, Ma; Ramírez-Camperos, Esperanza; Montellano-Palacios, Leticia; Gelover-Santiago, Silvia Lucila; Pérez-Castrejón, Sara; Cardoso-Vigueros, Lina; Martín-Domínguez, Alejandra; García-Sánchez, Liliana

2016-11-15

Two full-scale biological nutrient removal systems upgraded with three physico-chemical processes (coagulation, chemical precipitation, and neutral Fenton) were evaluated in order to determine the removal of emerging pollutants (EPs) present in municipal wastewater from Mexico. Between 41 and 55 EPs were detected in the influents of two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), including personal care products (PPCPs), antibiotics, analgesics, antiepileptics, antilipidemics, antihypertensives, antiseptics, stimulants, and hormones. Emerging pollutants were detected at concentrations ranging from 0.69ng/L to 94,600ng/L. High concentrations of emerging pollutants were found during dry season. WWTP 1, integrated by oxidation ditches and UV light lamps, showed removal efficiencies of EPs between 20% and 22%. On the other hand, WWTP 2 consisted of anaerobic/anoxic/aerobic tanks coupled with two disinfection processes; chlorine dioxide and UV light lamps, for which the removal of EPs was significant (up to 80%). The concentrations of emerging pollutants in WWTP 1 effluent was found within a range

Erratum: Probabilistic application of a fugacity model to predict triclosan fate during wastewater treatment.

PubMed

Bock, Michael; Lyndall, Jennifer; Barber, Timothy; Fuchsman, Phyllis; Perruchon, Elyse; Capdevielle, Marie

2010-10-01

The fate and partitioning of the antimicrobial compound, triclosan, in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is evaluated using a probabilistic fugacity model to predict the range of triclosan concentrations in effluent and secondary biosolids. The WWTP model predicts 84% to 92% triclosan removal, which is within the range of measured removal efficiencies (typically 70% to 98%). Triclosan is predominantly removed by sorption and subsequent settling of organic particulates during primary treatment and by aerobic biodegradation during secondary treatment. Median modeled removal efficiency due to sorption is 40% for all treatment phases and 31% in the primary treatment phase. Median modeled removal efficiency due to biodegradation is 48% for all treatment phases and 44% in the secondary treatment phase. Important factors contributing to variation in predicted triclosan concentrations in effluent and biosolids include influent concentrations, solids concentrations in settling tanks, and factors related to solids retention time. Measured triclosan concentrations in biosolids and non-United States (US) effluent are consistent with model predictions. However, median concentrations in US effluent are over-predicted with this model, suggesting that differences in some aspect of treatment practices not incorporated in the model (e.g., disinfection methods) may affect triclosan removal from effluent. Model applications include predicting changes in environmental loadings associated with new triclosan applications and supporting risk analyses for biosolids-amended land and effluent receiving waters. © 2010 SETAC.

Probabilistic application of a fugacity model to predict triclosan fate during wastewater treatment.

PubMed

Bock, Michael; Lyndall, Jennifer; Barber, Timothy; Fuchsman, Phyllis; Perruchon, Elyse; Capdevielle, Marie

2010-07-01

The fate and partitioning of the antimicrobial compound, triclosan, in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is evaluated using a probabilistic fugacity model to predict the range of triclosan concentrations in effluent and secondary biosolids. The WWTP model predicts 84% to 92% triclosan removal, which is within the range of measured removal efficiencies (typically 70% to 98%). Triclosan is predominantly removed by sorption and subsequent settling of organic particulates during primary treatment and by aerobic biodegradation during secondary treatment. Median modeled removal efficiency due to sorption is 40% for all treatment phases and 31% in the primary treatment phase. Median modeled removal efficiency due to biodegradation is 48% for all treatment phases and 44% in the secondary treatment phase. Important factors contributing to variation in predicted triclosan concentrations in effluent and biosolids include influent concentrations, solids concentrations in settling tanks, and factors related to solids retention time. Measured triclosan concentrations in biosolids and non-United States (US) effluent are consistent with model predictions. However, median concentrations in US effluent are over-predicted with this model, suggesting that differences in some aspect of treatment practices not incorporated in the model (e.g., disinfection methods) may affect triclosan removal from effluent. Model applications include predicting changes in environmental loadings associated with new triclosan applications and supporting risk analyses for biosolids-amended land and effluent receiving waters. (c) 2010 SETAC.

Removal of organic wastewater contaminants in septic systems using advanced treatment technologies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilcox, J.D.; Bahr, J.M.; Hedman, C.J.; Hemming, J.D.C.; Barman, M.A.E.; Bradbury, K.R.

2009-01-01

The detection of pharmaceuticals and other organic wastewater contaminants (OWCs) in ground water and surface-water bodies has raised concerns about the possible ecological impacts of these compounds on nontarget organisms. On-site wastewater treatment systems represent a potentially significant route of entry for organic contaminants to the environment. In this study, effluent samples were collected and analyzed from conventional septic systems and from systems using advanced treatment technologies. Six of 13 target compounds were detected in effluent from at least one septic system. Caffeine, paraxanthine, and acetaminophen were the most frequently detected compounds, and estrogenic activity was detected in 14 of 15 systems. The OWC concentrations were significantly lower in effluent after sand filtration (p < 0.01) or aerobic treatment (p < 0.05) as compared with effluent that had not undergone advanced treatment. In general, concentrations in conventional systems were comparable to those measured in previous studies of municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) influent, and concentrations in systems after advanced treatment were comparable to previously measured concentrations in WWTP effluent. These data indicate that septic systems using advanced treatment can reduce OWCs in treated effluent to similar concentrations as municipal WWTPs. Copyright ?? 2009 by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of toxic and genotoxic potential of a wet gas scrubber effluent obtained from wooden-based biomass furnaces: A case study in the red ceramic industry in southern Brazil.

PubMed

Bortolotto, Tiago; da Silva, Jaqueline; Sant'Ana, Alex Célio; Tomazi, Kamila Osowski; Geremias, Reginaldo; Angioletto, Elídio; Pich, Claus Tröger

2017-09-01

Red ceramic industry in southern Brazil commonly uses wood biomass as furnace fuel generating great amounts of gas emissions and ash. To avoid their impact on atmospheric environment, wet scrubbing is currently being applied in several plants. However, the water leachate formed could be potentially toxic and not managed as a common water-based effluent, since the resulting wastewater could carry many toxic compounds derived from wood pyrolysis. There is a lack of studies regarding this kind of effluent obtained specifically and strictly from wooden-based biomass furnaces. Therefore, we conducted an evaluation of toxic and genotoxic potentials of this particular type of wet gas scrubber effluent. Physical-chemical analysis showed high contents of several contaminants, including phenols, sulphates and ammoniacal nitrogen, as well as the total and suspended solids. The effluent cause significant toxicity towards microcrustacean Artemia sp. (LC 50 = 34.4%) and Daphnia magna (Toxicity Factor = 6 on average) and to higher plants (Lactuca sativa L. and Allium cepa L.) with acute and sub-acute effects in several parameters. Besides, using plasmid DNA, significant damage was observed in concentrations 12.5% and higher. In cellular DNA, concentrations starting from 12.5% and 6.25% showed significant increase in Damage Index (DI) and Damage Frequency (DF), respectively. The results altogether suggest that the effluent components, such phenols, produced by wood combustion can be volatilized, water scrubbed, resulting in a toxic and genotoxic effluent which could contaminate the environment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Feasibility of constructed wetland planted with Leersia hexandra Swartz for removing Cr, Cu and Ni from electroplating wastewater.

PubMed

You, Shao-Hong; Zhang, Xue-Hong; Liu, Jie; Zhu, Yi-Nian; Gu, Chen

2014-01-01

As a low-cost treatment technology for effluent, the constructed wetlands can be applied to remove the heavy metals from wastewater. Leersia hexandra Swartz is a metal-accumulating hygrophyte with great potential to remove heavy metal from water. In this study, two pilot-scale constructed wetlands planted with L. hexandra (CWL) were set up in greenhouse to treat electroplating wastewater containing Cr, Cu and Ni. The treatment performance of CWL under different hydraulic loading rates (HLR) and initial metal concentrations were also evaluated. The results showed that CWL significantly reduced the concentrations of Cr, Cu and Ni in wastewater by 84.4%, 97.1% and 94.3%, respectively. High HLR decreased the removal efficiencies of Cr, Cu and Ni; however, the heavy metal concentrations in effluent met Emission Standard of Pollutants for Electroplating in China (ESPE) at HLR less than 0.3 m3/m2 d. For the influent of 5 mg/L Cr, 10 mg/L Cu and 8 mg/L Ni, effluent concentrations were below maximum allowable concentrations in ESPE, indicating that the removal of Cr, Cu and Ni by CWL was feasible at considerably high influent metal concentrations. Mass balance showed that the primary sink for the retention of contaminants within the constructed wetland system was the sediment, which accounted for 59.5%, 83.5%, and 73.9% of the Cr, Cu and Ni, respectively. The data from the pilot wetlands support the view that CWL could be used to successfully remove Cr, Cu and Ni from electroplating wastewater.

Modeling and monitoring cyclic and linear volatile methylsiloxanes in a wastewater treatment plant using constant water level sequencing batch reactors.

PubMed

Wang, De-Gao; Du, Juan; Pei, Wei; Liu, Yongjun; Guo, Mingxing

2015-04-15

The fate of cyclic and linear volatile methylsiloxanes (VMSs) was evaluated in a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) using constant water level sequencing batch reactors from Dalian, China. Influent, effluent, and sewage sludge samples were collected for seven consecutive days. The mean concentrations of cyclic VMSs (cVMSs) in influent and effluent samples are 1.05 μg L(-1) and 0.343 μg L(-1); the total removal efficiency of VMSs is >60%. Linear VMS (lVMS) concentration is under the quantification limitation in aquatic samples but is found in sludge samples with a value of 90 μg kg(-1). High solid-water partition coefficients result in high VMS concentrations in sludge with the mean value of 5030 μg kg(-1). No significant differences of the daily mass flows are found when comparing the concentration during the weekend and during working days. The estimated mass load of total cVMSs is 194 mg d(-1)1000 inhabitants(-1) derived for the population. A mass balance model of the WWTP was developed and derived to simulate the fate of cVMSs. The removal by sorption on sludge increases, and the volatilization decreases with increasing hydrophobicity and decreasing volatility for cVMSs. Sensitivity analysis shows that the total suspended solid concentration in the effluent, mixed liquor suspended solid concentration, the sewage sludge flow rate, and the influent flow rate are the most influential parameters on the mass distribution of cVMSs in this WWTP. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Method Description, Quality Assurance, Environmental Data, and other Information for Analysis of Pharmaceuticals in Wastewater-Treatment-Plant Effluents, Streamwater, and Reservoirs, 2004-2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Phillips, Patrick J.; Smith, Steven G.; Kolpin, Dana W.; Zaugg, Steven D.; Buxton, Herbert T.; Furlong, Edward T.

2010-01-01

Abstract Wastewater-treatment-plant (WWTP) effluents are a demonstrated source of pharmaceuticals to the environment. During 2004-09, a study was conducted to identify pharmaceutical compounds in effluents from WWTPs (including two that receive substantial discharges from pharmaceutical formulation facilities), streamwater, and reservoirs. The methods used to determine and quantify concentrations of seven pharmaceuticals are described. In addition, the report includes information on pharmaceuticals formulated or potentially formulated at the two pharmaceutical formulation facilities that provide substantial discharge to two of the WWTPs, and potential limitations to these data are discussed. The analytical methods used to provide data on the seven pharmaceuticals (including opioids, muscle relaxants, and other pharmaceuticals) in filtered water samples also are described. Data are provided on method performance, including spike data, method detection limit results, and an estimation of precision. Quality-assurance data for sample collection and handling are included. Quantitative data are presented for the seven pharmaceuticals in water samples collected at WWTP discharge points, from streams, and at reservoirs. Occurrence data also are provided for 19 pharmaceuticals that were qualitatively identified. Flow data at selected WWTP and streams are presented. Between 2004-09, 35-38 effluent samples were collected from each of three WWTPs in New York and analyzed for seven pharmaceuticals. Two WWTPs (NY2 and NY3) receive substantial inflows (greater than 20 percent of plant flow) from pharmaceutical formulation facilities (PFF) and one (NY1) receives no PFF flow. Samples of effluents from 23 WWTPs across the United States were analyzed once for these pharmaceuticals as part of a national survey. Maximum pharmaceutical effluent concentrations for the national survey and NY1 effluent samples were generally less than 1 ug/L. Four pharmaceuticals (methadone, oxycodone, butalbital and metaxalone) in samples of NY3 effluent had median concentrations ranging from 3.4 to greater than 400 ug/L. Maximum concentrations of oxycodone (1,700 ug/L) and metaxalone (3,800 ug/L) in samples from NY3 effluent exceeded 1,000 ug/L. Three pharmaceuticals (butalbital, carisoprodol, and oxycodone) in samples of NY2 effluent had median concentrations ranging from 2 to 11 ug/L. These findings suggest that current 2 manufacturing practices at these PFFs can result in pharmaceutical concentrations from 10 to 1,000 times higher than those typically found in WWTP effluents.

Degradation of fifteen emerging contaminants at microg L(-1) initial concentrations by mild solar photo-Fenton in MWTP effluents.

PubMed

Klamerth, N; Rizzo, L; Malato, S; Maldonado, Manuel I; Agüera, A; Fernández-Alba, A R

2010-01-01

The degradation of 15 emerging contaminants (ECs) at low concentrations in simulated and real effluent of municipal wastewater treatment plant with photo-Fenton at unchanged pH and Fe=5 mg L(-1) in a pilot-scale solar CPC reactor was studied. The degradation of those 15 compounds (Acetaminophen, Antipyrine, Atrazine, Caffeine, Carbamazepine, Diclofenac, Flumequine, Hydroxybiphenyl, Ibuprofen, Isoproturon, Ketorolac, Ofloxacin, Progesterone, Sulfamethoxazole and Triclosan), each with an initial concentration of 100 microg L(-1), was found to depend on the presence of CO(3)(2-) and HCO(3)(-) (hydroxyl radicals scavengers) and on the type of water (simulated water, simulated effluent wastewater and real effluent wastewater), but is relatively independent of pH, the type of acid used for release of hydroxyl radicals scavengers and the initial H(2)O(2) concentration used. Toxicity tests with Vibrio fisheri showed that degradation of the compounds in real effluent wastewater led to toxicity increase. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Potential estrogenic effects of wastewaters on gene expression in Pimephales promelas and fish assemblages in streams of southeastern New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baldigo, Barry P.; George, Scott D.; Phillips, Patrick J.; Hemming, Joceyln D. C.; Denslow, Nancy D.; Kroll, Kevin J.

2015-01-01

Direct linkages between endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) from municipal and industrial wastewaters and impacts on wild fish assemblages are rare. The levels of plasma vitellogenin (Vtg) and Vtg messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) in male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) exposed to wastewater effluents and dilutions of 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), estrogen activity, and fish assemblages in 10 receiving streams were assessed to improve understanding of important interrelations. Results from 4-d laboratory assays indicate that EE2, plasma Vtg concentration, and Vtg gene expression in fathead minnows, and 17β-estradiol equivalents (E2Eq values) were highly related to each other (R2 = 0.98–1.00). Concentrations of E2Eq in most effluents did not exceed 2.0 ng/L, which was possibly a short-term exposure threshold for Vtg gene expression in male fathead minnows. Plasma Vtg in fathead minnows only increased significantly (up to 1136 μg/mL) in 2 wastewater effluents. Fish assemblages were generally unaffected at 8 of 10 study sites, yet the density and biomass of 79% to 89% of species populations were reduced (63–68% were reduced significantly) in the downstream reach of 1 receiving stream. These results, and moderate to high E2Eq concentrations (up to 16.1 ng/L) observed in effluents during a companion study, suggest that estrogenic wastewaters can potentially affect individual fish, their populations, and entire fish communities in comparable systems across New York, USA. 

A spatial and seasonal assessment of river water chemistry across North West England.

PubMed

Rothwell, J J; Dise, N B; Taylor, K G; Allott, T E H; Scholefield, P; Davies, H; Neal, C

2010-01-15

This paper presents information on the spatial and seasonal patterns of river water chemistry at approximately 800 sites in North West England based on data from the Environment Agency regional monitoring programme. Within a GIS framework, the linkages between average water chemistry (pH, sulphate, base cations, nutrients and metals) catchment characteristics (topography, land cover, soil hydrology, base flow index and geology), rainfall, deposition chemistry and geo-spatial information on discharge consents (point sources) are examined. Water quality maps reveal that there is a clear distinction between the uplands and lowlands. Upland waters are acidic and have low concentrations of base cations, explained by background geological sources and land cover. Localised high concentrations of metals occur in areas of the Cumbrian Fells which are subjected to mining effluent inputs. Nutrient concentrations are low in the uplands with the exception sites receiving effluent inputs from rural point sources. In the lowlands, both past and present human activities have a major impact on river water chemistry, especially in the urban and industrial heartlands of Greater Manchester, south Lancashire and Merseyside. Over 40% of the sites have average orthophosphate concentrations >0.1mg-Pl(-1). Results suggest that the dominant control on orthophosphate concentrations is point source contributions from sewage effluent inputs. Diffuse agricultural sources are also important, although this influence is masked by the impact of point sources. Average nitrate concentrations are linked to the coverage of arable land, although sewage effluent inputs have a significant effect on nitrate concentrations. Metal concentrations in the lowlands are linked to diffuse and point sources. The study demonstrates that point sources, as well as diffuse sources, need to be considered when targeting measures for the effective reduction in river nutrient concentrations. This issue is clearly important with regards to the European Union Water Framework Directive, eutrophication and river water quality. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 463.17 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... contact cooling and heating water processes at a point source times the following pollutant concentrations: Subpart A [Contact cooling and heating water] Concentration used to calculate BCT effluent limitations Pollutant or pollutant property Maximum for any 1 day (mg/l) BOD5 26 Oil and grease 29 TSS 19 pH (1) 1...

40 CFR 463.17 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... contact cooling and heating water processes at a point source times the following pollutant concentrations: Subpart A [Contact cooling and heating water] Concentration used to calculate BCT effluent limitations Pollutant or pollutant property Maximum for any 1 day (mg/l) BOD5 26 Oil and grease 29 TSS 19 pH (1) 1...

40 CFR 463.22 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... TSS 117 36 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 6.0 to 9.0 at all times. The permit authority will obtain... for the cleaning water processes at a point source times the following pollutant concentrations: Subpart B [Cleaning water] Concentration used to calculate BPT effluent limitations Pollutant or pollutant...

40 CFR 463.22 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... TSS 117 36 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 6.0 to 9.0 at all times. The permit authority will obtain... for the cleaning water processes at a point source times the following pollutant concentrations: Subpart B [Cleaning water] Concentration used to calculate BPT effluent limitations Pollutant or pollutant...

40 CFR 463.22 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... TSS 117 36 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range of 6.0 to 9.0 at all times. The permit authority will obtain... for the cleaning water processes at a point source times the following pollutant concentrations: Subpart B [Cleaning water] Concentration used to calculate BPT effluent limitations Pollutant or pollutant...

40 CFR 463.17 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... contact cooling and heating water processes at a point source times the following pollutant concentrations: Subpart A [Contact cooling and heating water] Concentration used to calculate BCT effluent limitations Pollutant or pollutant property Maximum for any 1 day (mg/l) BOD5 26 Oil and grease 29 TSS 19 pH (1) 1...

40 CFR 463.17 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... cooling and heating water processes at a point source times the following pollutant concentrations: Subpart A [Contact cooling and heating water] Concentration used to calculate BCT effluent limitations Pollutant or pollutant property Maximum for any 1 day (mg/l) BOD5 26 Oil and grease 29 TSS 19 pH (1) 1...

Box-Behnken methodology for Cr (VI) and leather dyes removal by an eco-friendly biosorbent: F. vesiculosus.

PubMed

Cobas, M; Sanromán, M A; Pazos, M

2014-05-01

This study focused on leather industrial effluents treatment by biosorption using Fucus vesiculosus as low-cost adsorbent. These effluents are yellowish-brown color and high concentration of Cr (VI). Therefore, biosorption process was optimized using response surface methodology based on Box-Behnken design operating with a simulated leather effluent obtained by mixture of Cr (VI) solution and four leather dyes. The key variables selected were initial solution pH, biomass dosage and CaCl2 concentration in the pretreatment stage. The statistical analysis shows that pH has a negligible effect, being the biomass dosage and CaCl2 concentration the most significant variables. At optimal conditions, 98% of Cr (VI) and 88% of dyes removal can be achieved. Freundlich fitted better to the obtained equilibrium data for all studied systems than Temkin, Langmuir or D-R models. In addition, the use of the final biosorbent as support-substrate to grown of enzyme producer fungi, Pleurotus ostreatus, was also demonstrated. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hospital and urban effluent waters as a source of accumulation of toxic metals in the sediment receiving system of the Cauvery River, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Devarajan, Naresh; Laffite, Amandine; Ngelikoto, Patience; Elongo, Vicky; Prabakar, Kandasamy; Mubedi, Josué I; Piana, Pius T M; Wildi, Walter; Poté, John

2015-09-01

Hospital and urban effluents contain a variety of toxic and/or persistent substances in a wide range of concentrations, and most of these compounds belong to the group of emerging contaminants. The release of these substances into the aquatic ecosystem can lead to the pollution of water resources and may place aquatic organisms and human health at risk. Sediments receiving untreated and urban effluent waters from the city of Tiruchirappalli in the state of Tamil Nadu, India, are analyzed for potential environmental and human health risks. The sediment samples were collected from five hospital outlet pipes (HOP) and from the Cauvery River Basin (CRB) both of which receive untreated municipal effluent waters (Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India). The samples were characterized for grain size, organic matter, toxic metals, and ecotoxicity. The results highlight the high concentration of toxic metals in HOP, reaching values (mg kg(-1)) of 1851 (Cr), 210 (Cu), 986 (Zn), 82 (Pb), and 17 (Hg). In contrast, the metal concentrations in sediments from CRB were lower than the values found in the HOP (except for Cu, Pb), with maximum values (mg kg(-1)) of 75 (Cr), 906 (Cu), 649 (Zn), 111 (Pb), and 0.99 (Hg). The metal concentrations in all sampling sites largely exceed the Sediment Quality Guidelines (SQGs) and the Probable Effect Concentration (PEC) for the Protection of Aquatic Life recommendation. The ecotoxicity test with ostracods exposed to the sediment samples presents a mortality rate ranging from 22 to 100 % (in sediments from HOP) and 18-87 % (in sediments from CRB). The results of this study show the variation of toxic metal levels as well as toxicity in sediment composition related to both the type of hospital and the sampling period. The method of elimination of hospital and urban effluents leads to the pollution of water resources and may place aquatic organisms and human health at risk.

[Influence of the substrate composition in extensive green roof on the effluent quality].

PubMed

Chen, Yu-Lin; Li, Tian; Gu, Jun-Qing

2014-11-01

By monitoring the effluent quality from different green roof assemblies during several artificial rain events, the main pollutant characteristics and the influence of substrate composition in extensive green roof on the effluent quality were studied. Results showed that the main pollutants in the effluent were N, P and COD; with the increase of cumulative rain, the concentrations of pollutants in the effluent decreased, which had obvious leaching effect; The average concentrations of heavy metals in the early effluent from all assemblies reached drinking water standard, including the assemblies using crushed bricks; When garden soil and compost were used as organic matter, the assemblies had serious leaching of nutrient substance. After the accumulated rainfall reached 150 mm, the TN, TP and COD concentrations of effluent were 2.93, 0.73 and 78 mg x L(-1), respectively, which exceeded the Surface water V class limit. By means of application of the Water Treatment Residual, the leaching of TP from green planting soil was decreased by about 60%. The inorganic compound soil had better effluent quality, however we also need to judge whether the substrate could be applied in extensive green roof or not, by analyzing its ability of water quantity reduction and the plant growth situation.

Characterization of fish hold effluent discharged from commercial fishing vessels into harbor waters.

PubMed

Albert, Ryan J; McLaughlin, Christine; Falatko, Debra

2014-10-15

Fish hold effluent and the effluent produced from the cleaning of fish holds may contain organic material resulting from the degradation of seafood and cleaning products (e.g., soaps and detergents). This effluent is often discharged by vessels into near shore waters and, therefore, could have the potential to contribute to water pollution in bays and estuaries. We characterized effluent from commercial fishing vessels with holds containing refrigerated seawater, ice slurry, or chipped ice. Concentrations of trace heavy metals, wet chemistry parameters, and nutrients in effluent were compared to screening benchmarks to determine if there is a reasonable potential for effluent discharge to contribute to nonattainment of water quality standards. Most analytes (67%) exceeded their benchmark concentration and, therefore, may have the potential to pose risk to human health or the environment if discharges are in significant quantities or there are many vessels discharging in the same areas. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Phosphorus and other soil components in a dairy effluent sprayfield within the central Florida Ridge.

PubMed

Woodard, Kenneth R; Sollenberger, Lynn E; Sweat, Lewin A; Graetz, Donald A; Nair, Vimala D; Rymph, Stuart J; Walker, Leighton; Joo, Yongsung

2007-01-01

There is concern that P from dairy effluent sprayfields will leach into groundwater beneath Suwannee River basins in northern Florida. Our purpose was to describe the effects of dairy effluent irrigation on the movement of soil P and other nutrients within the upper soil profile of a sprayfield over three 12-mo cycles (April 1998-March 2001). Effluent P rates of 70, 110, and 165 kg ha(-1) cycle(-1) were applied to forages that were grown year-round. The soil is a deep, excessively drained sand (thermic, uncoated Typic Quartzipsamment). Mean P concentration in soil water below the rooting zone (152-cm depth) was < or = 0.1 mg L(-1) during 11 3-mo periods. Mehlich-1-extractable (M1) P, Al, and Ca in the topsoil increased over time but did not change in subsoil depths of 25 to 51, 51 to 71, 71 to 97, and 97 to 122 cm. Topsoil Ca increased as effluent rate increased. High Ca levels were found in dairy effluent (avg.: 305 mg L(-1)) and supplemental irrigation water (avg.: 145 mg L(-1)) which likely played a role in retaining P in the topsoil. An effect of effluent rate on P and Al concentrations in the topsoil was not detected, probably due to large and variable quantities present at project initiation. The P retention capacity (i.e., Al plus Fe) increased in the topsoil because Al increased. Dairy effluent contained Al (avg.: 31 mg L(-1)). Phosphorus saturation ratio (PSR) increased over time in the topsoil but not in subsoil layers. Regardless of effluent rate, the P retention capacity and PSR of subsoil, which contained 119 to 229 mg kg(-1) of Al, should be taken into account when assessing the risk of P moving below the rooting zone of most forage crops.

Assessment of the disinfection capacity and eco-toxicological impact of atmospheric cold plasma for treatment of food industry effluents.

PubMed

Patange, Apurva; Boehm, Daniela; Giltrap, Michelle; Lu, Peng; Cullen, P J; Bourke, Paula

2018-08-01

Generation of wastewater is one of the main environmental sustainability issues across food sector industries. The constituents of food process effluents are often complex and require high energy and processing for regulatory compliance. Wastewater streams are the subject of microbiological and chemical criteria, and can have a significant eco-toxicological impact on the aquatic life. Thus, innovative treatment approaches are required to mitigate environmental impact in an energy efficient manner. Here, dielectric barrier discharge atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) was evaluated for control of key microbial indicators encountered in food industry effluent. This study also investigated the eco-toxicological impact of cold plasma treatment of the effluents using a range of aquatic bioassays. Continuous ACP treatment was applied to synthetic dairy and meat effluents. Microbial inactivation showed treatment time dependence with significant reduction in microbial populations within 120 s, and to undetectable levels after 300 s. Post treatment retention time emerged as critical control parameter which promoted ACP bacterial inactivation efficiency. Moreover, ACP treatment for 20 min achieved significant reduction (≥2 Log 10 ) in Bacillus megaterium endospores in wastewater effluent. Acute aquatic toxicity was assessed using two fish cell lines (PLHC-1 and RTG-2) and a crustacean model (Daphnia magna). Untreated effluents were toxic to the aquatic models, however, plasma treatment limited the toxic effects. Differing sensitivities were observed to ACP treated effluents across the different test bio-assays in the following order: PLHC-1 > RTG-2 ≥ D. magna; with greater sensitivity retained to plasma treated meat effluent than dairy effluent. The toxic effects were dependent on concentration and treatment time of the ACP treated effluent; with 30% cytotoxicity in D. magna and fish cells observed after 24 h of exposure to ACP treated effluent for concentrations up to 5%. The findings suggest the need to employ wider variety of aquatic organisms for better understanding and complete toxicity evaluation of long-term effects. The study demonstrates the potential to tailor ACP system parameters to control pertinent microbial targets (mono/poly-microbial, vegetative or spore form) found in complex and nutritious wastewater effluents whilst maintaining a safe eco-toxicity profile for aquatic species. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 414.31 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... concentration listed in the following table. Effluent characteristics BPT effluent limitations 1 Maximum for any one day Maximum for monthly average BOD5 48 18 TSS 115 36 pH (2) (2) 1 All units except pH are...

40 CFR 414.21 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... concentration listed in the following table. Effluent characteristics BPT effluent limitations 1 Maximum for any one day Maximum for monthly average BOD5 64 24 TSS 130 40 pH (2) (2) 1 All units except pH are...

40 CFR 414.31 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... concentration listed in the following table. Effluent characteristics BPT effluent limitations 1 Maximum for any one day Maximum for monthly average BOD5 48 18 TSS 115 36 pH (2) (2) 1 All units except pH are...

40 CFR 414.41 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... concentration listed in the following table. Effluent characteristics BPT Effluent Limitations 1 Maximum for any one day Maximum for monthly average BOD5 64 24 TSS 130 40 pH (2) (2) 1 All units except pH are...

40 CFR 414.51 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... concentration listed in the following table. Effluent characteristics BPT effluent limitations 1 Maximum for any one day Maximum for monthly average BOD5 163 61 TSS 216 67 pH (2) (2) 1 All units except pH are...

40 CFR 414.41 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... concentration listed in the following table. Effluent characteristics BPT Effluent Limitations 1 Maximum for any one day Maximum for monthly average BOD5 64 24 TSS 130 40 pH (2) (2) 1 All units except pH are...

40 CFR 414.21 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... concentration listed in the following table. Effluent characteristics BPT effluent limitations 1 Maximum for any one day Maximum for monthly average BOD5 64 24 TSS 130 40 pH (2) (2) 1 All units except pH are...

40 CFR 414.31 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... concentration listed in the following table. Effluent characteristics BPT effluent limitations 1 Maximum for any one day Maximum for monthly average BOD5 48 18 TSS 115 36 pH (2) (2) 1 All units except pH are...

40 CFR 414.41 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... concentration listed in the following table. Effluent characteristics BPT Effluent Limitations 1 Maximum for any one day Maximum for monthly average BOD5 64 24 TSS 130 40 pH (2) (2) 1 All units except pH are...

40 CFR 414.41 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... concentration listed in the following table. Effluent characteristics BPT Effluent Limitations 1 Maximum for any one day Maximum for monthly average BOD5 64 24 TSS 130 40 pH (2) (2) 1 All units except pH are...

40 CFR 414.51 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... concentration listed in the following table. Effluent characteristics BPT effluent limitations 1 Maximum for any one day Maximum for monthly average BOD5 163 61 TSS 216 67 pH (2) (2) 1 All units except pH are...

40 CFR 414.31 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... concentration listed in the following table. Effluent characteristics BPT effluent limitations 1 Maximum for any one day Maximum for monthly average BOD5 48 18 TSS 115 36 pH (2) (2) 1 All units except pH are...

40 CFR 414.21 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... concentration listed in the following table. Effluent characteristics BPT effluent limitations 1 Maximum for any one day Maximum for monthly average BOD5 64 24 TSS 130 40 pH (2) (2) 1 All units except pH are...

40 CFR 414.51 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... concentration listed in the following table. Effluent characteristics BPT effluent limitations 1 Maximum for any one day Maximum for monthly average BOD5 163 61 TSS 216 67 pH (2) (2) 1 All units except pH are...

40 CFR 414.51 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... concentration listed in the following table. Effluent characteristics BPT effluent limitations 1 Maximum for any one day Maximum for monthly average BOD5 163 61 TSS 216 67 pH (2) (2) 1 All units except pH are...

40 CFR 414.21 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... concentration listed in the following table. Effluent characteristics BPT effluent limitations 1 Maximum for any one day Maximum for monthly average BOD5 64 24 TSS 130 40 pH (2) (2) 1 All units except pH are...

Effects of effluents from a coal-fired, electric-generating powerplant on local ground water near Hayden, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ellis, S.R.; Mann, P.G.

1981-01-01

Data were collected at the Hayden, Colo., powerplant for about a year during 1978-79 to monitor the effects of effluent and raw-water storage ponds on the local ground water, Sage Creek, and the Yampa River. The concentration of boron in wells downgradient from the effluent ponds indicated that the ponds were leaking, increasing the average boron concentrations in the ground water to a level in excess of the standards for agricultural use of water. Water from seeps, probably the best indicators of downgradient water quality, had average concentrations of boron two times that of the Colorado Department of Health (1977) standard for agricultural use of water. Chemical analyses of water from wells and the discharge weir downgradient from the raw-water storage ponds indicated these ponds are leaking. The effect of this leakage is that the water in wells downgradient from these ponds has a lower specific conductance and a lower boron concentration than the water in wells downgradient from the effluent ponds. The concentration of trace elements in the water from the wells and the discharge weir generally declined during the study, probably because the ground water was recovering from the effects of a plume from the raw-water pond previously used for fly-ash disposal. The effluents from the Hayden powerplant lowered the specific conductance and the iron and manganese concentrations, increased the concentration of boron, and had little or no effect on the selenium concentration in Sage Creek. Sage Creek had no discernible effect on the Yampa River because the volume of water in the Yampa River was so much greater. The effluents from the powerplant also had no discernible effect on the Yampa River. (USGS)

Acute and early life stage toxicity of industrial effluent on Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes).

PubMed

Zha, Jinmiao; Wang, Zijian

2006-03-15

To develop the whole effluent toxicity testing methods (WET), embryo larval stage toxicity test using Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) was conducted to evaluate an effluent from a banknote printing plant (BPP). The method is based on acute toxicity using endpoint of 96-h larval morality and on chronic toxicity using endpoints such as the time to hatch, hatching success, deformity, growth rate, swim-up failure, accumulative mortality and sexual ratio. In test for 96-h larval mortality, LC50 (the concentration was lethal to 50% of newly hatching medaka larvae) was 72.9%. In chronic toxicity test, newly fertilized embryos (<5-h old) were exposed to 1%, 6.25%, 12.5%, 25%, 50% effluent concentrations and to 200 mug/l BPA in a 24-h static renewal system at 25+/-1 degrees C until 15 day post-hatch. The results showed that all chronic endpoints were significantly different from the control at 50% dilution (p < 0.01). Embryos began to show lesions on 4th day at higher concentrations (12.5%, 25%, 50% BPP effluent concentrations). Treatment group of 25% dilution showed delayed time to hatch. A reduction in body weight was observed at 25% dilutions for males and females, respectively. Deformities were observed in newly hatched larvae at 25% and 50% BPP effluent concentrations. At 25% dilution, sex ratio of larvae was alternated and there was feminization phenomenon. We conclude that embryo larval stage test using medaka is feasible to evaluate both acute and chronic toxicities and potential endocrine disrupting activity of industrial effluents.

Hospital effluents as a source of emerging pollutants: An overview of micropollutants and sustainable treatment options

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verlicchi, P.; Galletti, A.; Petrovic, M.; Barceló, D.

2010-08-01

SummaryHospital wastewaters contain a variety of toxic or persistent substances such as pharmaceuticals, radionuclides, solvents and disinfectants for medical purposes in a wide range of concentrations due to laboratory and research activities or medicine excretion. Most of these compounds belong to the so called emerging contaminants; quite often unregulated pollutants which may be candidates for future regulation depending on research on their potential health effects and monitoring of their occurrence. Their main characteristic is that they do not need to persist in the environment to cause negative effects since their high transformation/removal rates can be compensated for by their continuous introduction into the environment. Some of these compounds, most of them pharmaceuticals and personal care products may also be present in urban wastewaters. Their concentrations in the effluents may vary from ng L -1 to μg L -1. In this paper, hospital effluents and urban wastewaters are compared in terms of quali-quantitative characteristics. On the basis of an in-depth survey: (i) hospital average specific daily water consumptions (L patient -1 day -1) are evaluated and compared to urban ones (L person -1 day -1), (ii) conventional parameters concentrations in hospital effluents are compared to urban ones and (iii) main pharmaceuticals and other emerging compounds contents are compared in the two wastewaters. Finally, an overview of the removal capacity of the different treatments is reported.

Effects of untreated hospital effluents on the accumulation of toxic metals in sediments of receiving system under tropical conditions: case of South India and Democratic Republic of Congo.

PubMed

Mubedi, Josué Ilunga; Devarajan, Naresh; Le Faucheur, Séverine; Mputu, John Kayembe; Atibu, Emmanuel K; Sivalingam, Periyasamy; Prabakar, Kandasamy; Mpiana, Pius T; Wildi, Walter; Poté, John

2013-10-01

Physicochemical and ecotoxicological analyses have been performed to assess the quality of sediments receiving untreated hospital effluents from Indian and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) hospitals. The sediments were collected monthly and characterized for grain size, organic matter, total organic carbon, total carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, toxic metals and ecotoxicity. The results highlight the high concentration of toxic metals from the Indian hospital effluent receiving systems, especially for Cr, Cu, As, Zn and Hg. On the other hand, the metal concentrations in the sediment receiving system from DRC are low (e.g. maximum Hg and Zn concentration were 0.46 and 48.84 mg kg(-1) respectively). Ostracods exposed to sediment samples H2 (September month sample) and H3 (June and September month samples) were found dead after 6d of exposure whereas the higher mortality rate for Congo sediments was 23% but was accompanied with 33 ± 7% of growth inhibition. The results of this study show the variation of sediment composition on toxic metal levels as well as toxicity related to both, the type of hospitals and the sampling period. Additionally, hospital effluent disposal practices at the study sites can lead to the pollution of water resources and may generate risks for aquatic organisms and human health. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Soil water nitrate and ammonium dynamics under a sewage effluent irrigated eucalypt plantation.

PubMed

Livesley, S J; Adams, M A; Grierson, P F

2007-01-01

Managed forests and plantations are appropriate ecosystems for land-based treatment of effluent, but concerns remain regarding nutrient contamination of ground- and surface waters. Monthly NO3-N and NH4-N concentrations in soil water, accumulated soil N, and gross ammonification and nitrification rates were measured in the second year of a second rotation of an effluent irrigated Eucalyptus globulus plantation in southern Western Australia to investigate the separate and interactive effects of drip and sprinkler irrigation, effluent and water irrigation, irrigation rate, and harvest residues retention. Nitrate concentrations of soil water were greater under effluent irrigation than water irrigation but remained <15 mg L(-1) when irrigated at the normal rate (1.5-2.0 mm d(-1)), and there was little evidence of downward movement. In contrast, NH4-N concentrations of soil water at 30 and 100 cm were generally greater under effluent irrigation than water irrigation when irrigated at the normal rate because of direct effluent NH4-N input and indirect ammonification of soil organic N. Drip irrigation of effluent approximately doubled peak NO3-N and NH4-N concentrations in soil water. Harvest residue retention reduced concentrations of soil water NO3-N at 30 cm during active sprinkler irrigation, but after 1 yr of irrigation there was no significant difference in the amount of N stored in the soil system, although harvest residue retention did enhance the "nitrate flush" in the following spring. Gross mineralization rates without irrigation increased with harvest residue retention and further increased with water irrigation. Irrigation with effluent further increased gross nitrification to 3.1 mg N kg(-1) d(-1) when harvest residues were retained but had no effect on gross ammonification, which suggested the importance of heterotrophic nitrification. The downward movement of N under effluent irrigation was dominated by NH4-N rather than NO3-N. Improving the capacity of forest soils to store and transform N inputs through organic matter management must consider the dynamic equilibrium between N input, uptake, and immobilization according to soil C status, and the effect changing microbial processes and environmental conditions can have on this equilibrium.

Nitrogen removal from wastewater by an aerated subsurface-flow constructed wetland in cold climates.

PubMed

Redmond, Eric D; Just, Craig L; Parkin, Gene F

2014-04-01

The objective of this study was to assess the role of cyclic aeration, vegetation, and temperature on nitrogen removal by subsurface-flow engineered wetlands. Aeration was shown to enhance total nitrogen and ammonia removal and to enhance removal of carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, and phosphorus. Effluent ammonia and total nitrogen concentrations were significantly lower in aerated wetland cells when compared with unaerated cells. There was no significant difference in nitrogen removal between planted and unplanted cells. Effluent total nitrogen concentrations ranged from 9 to 12 mg N/L in the aerated cells and from 23 to 24 mg N/L in unaerated cells. Effluent ammonia concentrations ranged from 3 to 7 mg N/L in aerated wetland cells and from 22 to 23 mg N/L in unaerated cells. For the conditions tested, temperature had only a minimal effect on effluent ammonia or total nitrogen concentrations. The tanks-in-series and the PkC models predicted the general trends in effluent ammonia and total nitrogen concentrations, but did not do well predicting short-term variability. Rate coefficients for aerated systems were 2 to 10 times greater than those for unaerated systems.

Concentration of Reovirus and Adenovirus from Sewage and Effluents by Protamine Sulfate (Salmine) Treatment 1

PubMed Central

England, Beatrice

1972-01-01

Protamine sulfate was employed to recover reoviruses, adenoviruses, and certain enteroviruses from sewage and treated effluents; 50- to 400-fold concentration of viral content was achieved. PMID:4342842

Impact de la pollution industrielle sur la zone côtière du Jorf Lasar (océan Atlantique marocain): la moule comme indicateur de la contamination métallique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaimoussi, Aziz; Chafik, Abdelghani; Mouzdahir, Abdelkrim; Bakkas, Salem

2001-09-01

The present study characterizes the effluents of the 'Maroc Phosphore' factories III and IV (of Jorf Lasfar coastal zone). The results show that the effluent (Cs/l) is very acid, very phosphate-rich, high in suspended matter and calcium-rich. Hydrological parameters indicate an important content of phosphates, especially in the stations located in the South of Cs/l. Tissues of mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis from the Jorf Lasfar zone present high concentrations of Cd and Cu.

Influence of chlorothalonil on the removal of organic matter in horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands.

PubMed

Casas-Zapata, Juan C; Ríos, Karina; Florville-Alejandre, Tomás R; Morató, Jordi; Peñuela, Gustavo

2013-01-01

This study investigates the effects of chlorothalonil (CLT) on chemical oxygen demand (COD) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in pilot-scale horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands (HSSFCW) planted with Phragmites australis. Physicochemical parameters of influent and effluent water samples, microbial population counting methods and statistical analysis were used to evaluate the influence of CLT on organic matter removal efficiency. The experiments were conducted on four planted replicate wetlands (HSSFCW-Pa) and one unplanted control wetland (HSSFCW-NPa). The wetlands exhibited high average organic matter removal efficiencies (HSSFCW-Pa: 80.6% DOC, 98.0% COD; HSSFCW-NPa: 93.2% DOC, 98.4% COD). The addition of CLT did not influence organic removal parameters. In all cases CLT concentrations in the effluent occurred in concentrations lower than the detection limit of the analytical method. Microbial population counts from HSSFCW-Pa showed significant correlations among different microbial groups and with different physicochemical variables. The apparent independence of organic matter removal and CLT inputs, along with the CLT depletion observed in effluent samples demonstrated that HSSFCW are a viable technology for the treatment of agricultural effluents contaminated with organo-chloride pesticides like CLT.

Morphological response of Typha domingensis to an industrial effluent containing heavy metals in a constructed wetland.

PubMed

Hadad, H R; Mufarrege, M M; Pinciroli, M; Di Luca, G A; Maine, M A

2010-04-01

Typha domingensis had become the dominant species after 2 years of operation of a wetland constructed for metallurgical effluent treatment. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to investigate its ability to tolerate the effluent and to maintain the contaminant removal efficiency of the constructed wetland. Plant, sediment, and water at the inlet and outlet of the constructed wetland and in two natural wetlands were sampled. Metal concentration (Cr, Ni, and Zn) and total phosphorus were significantly higher in tissues of plants growing at the inlet in comparison with those from the outlet and natural wetlands. Even though the chlorophyll concentration was sensitive to effluent toxicity, biomass and plant height at the inlet and outlet were significantly higher than those in the natural wetlands. The highest root and stele cross-sectional areas, number of vessels, and biomass registered in inlet plants promoted the uptake, transport, and accumulation of contaminants in tissues. The modifications recorded accounted for the adaptability of T. domingensis to the conditions prevailing in the constructed wetland, which allowed this plant to become the dominant species and enabled the wetland to maintain a high contaminant retention capacity.

Pathway-based approaches for assessment of real-time exposure to an estrogenic wastewater treatment plant effluent on fathead minnow reproduction

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cavallin, Jenna E.; Jensen, Kathleen M.; Kahl, Michael D.; Villeneuve, Daniel L.; Lee, Kathy E.; Schroeder, Anthony L.; Mayasich, Joe; Eid, Evan P.; Nelson, Krysta R.; Milsk, Rebecca Y.; Blackwell, Brett R.; Berninger, Jason P.; LaLone, Carlie A.; Blanskma, Chad; Jicha, Terri M.; Elonen, Colleen M.; Johnson, Rodney C.; Ankley, Gerald T.

2016-01-01

Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents are known contributors of chemical mixtures into the environment. Of particular concern are endocrine-disrupting compounds, such as estrogens, which can affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis function in exposed organisms. The present study examined reproductive effects in fathead minnows exposed for 21 d to a historically estrogenic WWTP effluent. Fathead minnow breeding pairs were held in control water or 1 of 3 effluent concentrations (5%, 20%, and 100%) in a novel onsite, flow-through system providing real-time exposure. The authors examined molecular and biochemical endpoints representing key events along adverse outcome pathways linking estrogen receptor activation and other molecular initiating events to reproductive impairment. In addition, the authors used chemical analysis of the effluent to construct a chemical-gene interaction network to aid in targeted gene expression analyses and identifying potentially impacted biological pathways. Cumulative fecundity was significantly reduced in fish exposed to 100% effluent but increased in those exposed to 20% effluent, the approximate dilution factor in the receiving waters. Plasma vitellogenin concentrations in males increased in a dose-dependent manner with effluent concentration; however, male fertility was not impacted. Although in vitro analyses, analytical chemistry, and biomarker responses confirmed the effluent was estrogenic, estrogen receptor agonists were unlikely the primary driver of impaired reproduction. The results provide insights into the significance of pathway-based effects with regard to predicting adverse reproductive outcomes.

Transformation of Nitrate and Toluene in Groundwater by Sulfur Modified Iron(SMI-III)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, W.; Park, S.; Lim, J.; Hong, U.; Kwon, S.; Kim, Y.

2009-12-01

In Korea, nitrate and benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene isomers (BTEX) are frequently detected together as ground water contaminants. Therefore, a system simultaneously treating both nitrate (inorganic compound) and BTEX (organic compounds) is required to utilize groundwater as a water resource. In this study, we investigated the efficiency of Sulfur Modified Iron (SMI-III) in treating both nitrate and BTEX contaminated groundwater. Based on XRD (X-Ray Diffraction) analysis, the SMI-III is mainly composed of Fe3O4, S, and Fe. A series of column tests were conducted at three different empty bed contact times (EBCTs) for each compound. During the experiments, removal efficiency for both nitrate and toluene were linearly correlated with EBCT, suggesting that SMI-III have an ability to transform both nitrate and toluene. The concentration of SO42- and oxidation/reduction potential (ORP) were also measured. After exposed to nitrate contaminated groundwater, the composition of SMI-III was changed to Fe2O3, Fe3O4, Fe, and Fe0.95S1.05. The trends of effluent sulfate concentrations were inversely correlated with effluent nitrate concentrations, while the trends of ORP values, having the minimum values of -480 mV, were highly correlated with effluent nitrate concentrations. XRD analysis before and after exposed to nitrate contaminated groundwater, sulfate production, and nitrite detection as a reductive transformation by-product of nitrate suggest that nitrate is reductively transformed by SMI-III. Interestingly, in the toluene experiments, the trends of ORP values were inversely correlated with effluent toluene concentrations, suggesting that probably degrade through oxidation reaction. Consequently, nitrate and toluene probably degrade through reduction and oxidation reaction, respectively and SMI-III could serve as both electron donor and acceptor.

A coupled system of half-nitritation and ANAMMOX for mature landfill leachate nitrogen removal.

PubMed

Li, Yun; Li, Jun; Zhao, Baihang; Wang, Xiujie; Zhang, Yanzhuo; Wei, Jia; Bian, Wei

2017-09-01

A coupled system of membrane bioreactor-nitritation (MBR-nitritation) and up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket-anaerobic ammonium oxidation (UASB-ANAMMOX) was employed to treat mature landfill leachate containing high ammonia nitrogen and low C/N. MBR-nitritation was successfully realized for undiluted mature landfill leachate with initial concentrations of 900-1500 mg/L [Formula: see text] and 2000-4000 mg/L chemical oxygen demand. The effluent [Formula: see text] concentration and the [Formula: see text] accumulation efficiency were 889 mg/L and 97% at 125 d, respectively. Half-nitritation was quickly realized by adjustment of hydraulic retention time and dissolved oxygen (DO), and a low DO control strategy could allow long-term stable operation. The UASB-ANAMMOX system showed high effective nitrogen removal at a low concentration of mature landfill leachate. The nitrogen removal efficiency was inhibited at excessive influent substrate concentration and the nitrogen removal efficiency of the system decreased as the concentration of mature landfill leachate increased. The MBR-nitritation and UASB-ANAMMOX processes were coupled for mature landfill leachate treatment and together resulted in high effective nitrogen removal. The effluent average total nitrogen concentration and removal efficiency values were 176 mg/L and 83%, respectively. However, the average nitrogen removal load decreased from 2.16 to 0.77 g/(L d) at higher concentrations of mature landfill leachate.

Novel anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) design for wastewater treatment at long HRT and high solid concentration.

PubMed

Berkessa, Yifru Waktole; Yan, Binghua; Li, Tengfei; Tan, Ming; She, Zonglian; Jegatheesan, Veeriah; Jiang, Heqing; Zhang, Yang

2018-02-01

Performance of two novel designed anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBRs) for wastewater treatment at long hydraulic retention time (HRT, 47 days) and high sludge concentration (22 g·L -1 ) was investigated. Results showed steady chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal (>98%) and mean biogas generation of 0.29 LCH 4 ·g -1 COD. Average permeates flux of 58.70 L·m -2 ·h -1 and 54.00 L·m -2 ·h -1 were achieved for reactors A and B, respectively. On top of reactor configuration, long HRT caused biofilm reduction by heterotrophic bacteria Chloroflexi resulting in high membrane flux. Mean total membrane resistances (2.23 × 10 9  m -1 ) and fouling rates (4.00 × 10 8  m -1 ·day -1 ) of both reactors were low suggesting better membrane fouling control ability of both AnMBRs. Effluent quality analysis showed the effluent soluble microbial products (SMP) were dominated by proteins compared to carbohydrates, and specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA) analysis revealed effluent from both reactors had low aromaticity with SUVA < 1 (L·mg -1 ·m -1 ) except for the first ten days. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of substrate degradation, metabolite formation and microbial community responses in sand bioreactors treating winery wastewater: a comparative study.

PubMed

Welz, P J; Palmer, Z; Isaacs, S; Kirby, B; le Roes-Hill, M

2014-12-01

There is a global need for the implementation of more cost-effective green technologies for the treatment of effluent from wineries. However, systems reliant on microbial biodegradation may be adversely affected by the highly seasonal character of cellar waste. In this study, the biodegradation of two different formulations of winery effluent in sand bioreactors was compared. The degradation of organic substrates and formation of metabolites was monitored by physicochemical analyses of pore water and final effluent samples. Changes in the bacterial community structures were detected using molecular fingerprinting. In wastewater with an overall COD of 2027 mg/L, a formulation with a high concentration of acetate (800 mg COD/L) was more recalcitrant to degradation than a formulation with a high concentration of glucose (800 mg COD/L). Ethanol, glucose and phenolics were degraded preferentially in the deeper layers of the sand bioreactors (average Eh 25 mV) than in the superficial layers (average Eh 102 mV). The redox status also played a pivotal role on the bacterial community composition. The study yielded valuable insight that can be utilized in the design (configuration and operation) of full scale sand bioreactors. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhanced treatment efficiency of an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR) for cassava stillage with high solids content.

PubMed

Luo, Gang; Xie, Li; Zhou, Qi

2009-06-01

Cassava stillage is a high strength organic wastewater with high suspended solids (SS) content. The efficiency of cassava stillage treatment using an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR) was significantly enhanced by discharging settled sludge to maintain a lower sludge concentration (about 30 g/L) in the reactor. Three hydraulic retention times (HRTs), namely 10 d, 7.5 d, 5 d, were evaluated at this condition. The study demonstrated that at an HRT of 5 d and an organic loading rate (OLR) of 11.3 kg COD/(m(3) d), the total chemical oxygen demand (TCOD) and soluble COD (SCOD) removal efficiency can still be maintained at above 80%. The settleability of digested cassava stillage was improved significantly, and thus only a small amount of settled sludge needed to be discharged to maintain the sludge concentration in the reactor. Furthermore, the performance of ASBR operated at low and high sludge concentration (about 79.5 g/L without sludge discharged) was evaluated at an HRT of 5 d. The TCOD removal efficiency and SS in the effluent were 61% and 21.9 g/L respectively at high sludge concentration, while the values were 85.1% and 2.4 g/L at low sludge concentration. Therefore, low sludge concentration is recommended for ASBR treating cassava stillage at an HRT 5 d due to lower TCOD and SS in the effluent, which could facilitate post-treatment.

Assessment of reproductive effects in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) exposed to bleached/unbleached kraft mill effluents.

PubMed

Sepúlveda, M S; Ruessler, D S; Denslow, N D; Holm, S E; Schoeb, T R; Gross, T S

2001-11-01

This study evaluated the potential effects of different concentrations of bleached/unbleached kraft mill effluent (B/UKME) on several reproductive endpoints in adult largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). The kraft mill studied produces a 50/50 mix of bleached/unbleached market pulp with an estimated release of 36 million gal of effluent/day. Bleaching sequences were C90d10EopHDp and CEHD for softwood (pines) and hardwoods (mainly tupelo, gums, magnolia, and water oaks), respectively. Bass were exposed to different effluent concentrations (0 [controls, exposed to well water], 10, 20, 40, or 80%) for either 28 or 56 days. At the end of each exposure period, fish were euthanized, gonads collected for histological evaluation and determination of gonadosomatic index (GSI), and plasma was analyzed for 17beta-estradiol, 11-ketotestosterone, and vitellogenin (VTG). Largemouth bass exposed to B/UKME responded with changes at the biochemical level (decline in sex steroids in both sexes and VTG in females) that were usually translated into tissue/organ-level responses (declines in GSI in both sexes and in ovarian development in females). Although most of these responses occurred after exposing fish to 40% B/UKME concentrations or greater, some were observed after exposures to 20% B/UKME. These threshold concentrations fall within the 60% average yearly concentration of effluent that exists in the stream near the point of discharge (Rice Creek), but are above the <10% effluent concentration present in the St. Johns River. The chemical(s) responsible for such changes as well as their mode(s) of action remain unknown at this time.

Exhaust Gas Scrubber Washwater Effluent

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-11-01

the washwater discharge and what are their concentrations or values?  How are these pollutants dissipated into the environment when the ship is...40  Exhaust Gas Scrubber Washwater Effluent Contents ii LIST OF TABLES Page 1 PAH Discharge Concentration Limit by...Flow Rate ..........................................................11  2 Concentrations of Metals in the Washwater Discharge from the Zaandam

Growth of Dalbergia sissoo in desert regions of western India using municipal effluent and the subsequent changes in soil and plant chemistry.

PubMed

Singh, G; Bhati, M

2005-06-01

Increasing demand for fodder and fuelwood and the scarcity of a good quality water in arid areas has resulted in a search for an alternative source of water for biomass production. An experiment utilizing municipal effluent in growing Dalbergia sissoo was conducted. Five treatments included T1, municipal effluent at 1 PET (Potential evapo-transpiration) (without plant); T2, municipal effluent at 1/2 PET; T3, municipal effluent at 1PET; T4, municipal effluent at 2 PET; and T5, canal water at 1 PET. Observations included plant height, collar diameter at one-month intervals and plant mineral composition, mineral uptake and changes in soil properties at 24 months of plant age. Application of municipal effluent produced better growth in D. sissoo seedlings. Concentrations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) were greater in seedlings irrigated with municipal effluent than those of the seedlings irrigated by the treatment T5, and positively related with the quantity of irrigation. The concentrations were greatest in foliage compared to the other parts of seedling, with the exception of Cu concentration. Application of municipal effluents resulted in a 2- to 3-fold increase in the concentrations of soil K, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn, whereas NH4-N and PO4-P availability increased by 8.1- and 4.5-fold, respectively. The increase in soil organic carbon was only observed in treatments T3 and T4. The accumulations of soil NO3-N, Na, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn were more in lower soil layers but the other soil parameters showed their greatest values in the upper soil layer. Irrigation using municipal effluent did not result in toxicity to the seedlings before the age of 24 months. The results suggest that municipal effluent could be utilized, as an important source of water and nutrients in growing D. sissoo to increase biomass production in the needs of suburban dwellers. However, a preliminary treatment to reduce excess NH4-N and PO4-P will be required before application to the plantation.

Calicivirus Removal in a Membrane Bioreactor Wastewater Treatment Plant▿

PubMed Central

Sima, Laura C.; Schaeffer, Julien; Le Saux, Jean-Claude; Parnaudeau, Sylvain; Elimelech, Menachem; Le Guyader, Françoise S.

2011-01-01

To evaluate membrane bioreactor wastewater treatment virus removal, a study was conducted in southwest France. Samples collected from plant influent, an aeration basin, membrane effluent, solid sludge, and effluent biweekly from October 2009 to June 2010 were analyzed for calicivirus (norovirus and sapovirus) by real-time reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) using extraction controls to perform quantification. Adenovirus and Escherichia coli also were analyzed to compare removal efficiencies. In the influent, sapovirus was always present, while the norovirus concentration varied temporally, with the highest concentration being detected from February to May. All three human norovirus genogroups (GI, GII, and GIV) were detected in effluent, but GIV was never detected in effluent; GI and GII were detected in 50% of the samples but at low concentrations. In the effluent, sapovirus was identified only once. An adenovirus titer showing temporal variation in influent samples was identified only twice in effluent. E. coli was always below the limit of detection in the effluent. Overall, the removal of calicivirus varied from 3.3 to greater than 6.8 log units, with no difference between the two main genogroups. Our results also demonstrated that the viruses are blocked by the membrane in the treatment plant and are removed from the plant as solid sludge. PMID:21666029

Occurrence and fate of most prescribed antibiotics in different water environments of Tehran, Iran.

PubMed

Mirzaei, Roya; Yunesian, Masud; Nasseri, Simin; Gholami, Mitra; Jalilzadeh, Esfandiyar; Shoeibi, Shahram; Mesdaghinia, Alireza

2018-04-01

The presence of most prescribed antibiotic compounds from four therapeutic classes (β-lactam, cephalosporins, macrolides, fluoroquinolones) were studied at two full-scale WWTPs, two rivers, thirteen groundwater resources, and five water treatment plants in Tehran. Analytical methodology was based on high performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry after solid-phase extraction. Samples were collected at 33 sample locations on three sampling periods over four months from June to August 2016. None of the target antibiotics were detected in groundwater resources and water treatment plants, while seven out of nine target antibiotics were analyzed in two studied river waters as well as the influent and effluent of wastewater treatment plants at concentrations ranging from

The interactive effects of essential ions and salinity on the survival of Mysidopsis bahia in 96-H acute toxicity tests of effluents discharged to marine and estuarine receiving waters

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Douglas, W.S.; Horne, M.T.

1997-10-01

The importance of salinity in whole effluent toxicity tests using marine organisms has been acknowledged in most testing protocols. However, little if any attention has been given to the specific effects of alteration of the ionic composition of seawater solutions to the test organism. The presence of persistent toxicity in effluents with no apparent toxic agents prompted examination of the potential influence of essential ions on the survival of the opossum shrimp, Mysidopsis bahia, a common effluent toxicity indicator organism. Through stepwise additions of ionic salts to deionized water, the minimum complement of salts to maintain survival of M. bahiamore » during 96-h exposures was determined to be Ca, Mg, K, Br, Na, and Cl. The toxicity curves for Ca, Mg, K, and Br were then determined across test salinity ranging from 10 to 35 parts per thousand. These curves for Ca, Mg, and K revealed that there are significant negative effects on survival when the essential ions are present in either low or high concentrations relative to the levels in natural seawater. Although there were no statistically detectable effects of Br on organism survival over the concentration range tested (5--480 mg/L). Br toxicity at concentrations less than 5 mg/L and greater than 700 mg/L have been shown in other studies. In addition, the tolerance ranges for K, Ca, and Mg were shown to shift significantly with changes in salinity, with lower salinity causing an apparent decrease in tolerance to an excess of essential ions. Tests with toxic effluents from five industrial and municipal sources revealed that adjustment of the ionic balance prior to testing reduced or eliminated toxicity in four of the five whole effluents tested. Suggestions for integrating this information into biomonitoring programs and toxicity identification evaluations are presented.« less

Genetic redundancy and persistence of plasmid-mediated trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole resistant effluent and stream water Escherichia coli.

PubMed

Suhartono, Suhartono; Savin, Mary; Gbur, Edward E

2016-10-15

Antibiotic resistant bacteria may persist in effluent receiving surface water in the presence of low (sub-inhibitory) antibiotic concentrations if the bacteria possess multiple genes encoding resistance to the same antibiotic. This redundancy of antibiotic resistance genes may occur in plasmids harboring conjugation and mobilization (mob) and integrase (intI) genes. Plasmids extracted from 76 sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim resistant Escherichia coli originally isolated from effluent and an effluent-receiving stream were used as DNA template to identify sulfamethoxazole (sul) and trimethoprim (dfr) resistances genes plus detect the presence of intI and mob genes using PCR. Sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim resistance was plasmid-mediated with three sul (sul1, sul2 and sul3 genes) and four dfr genes (dfrA12, dfrA8, dfrA17, and dfrA1 gene) the most prevalently detected. Approximately half of the plasmids carried class 1 and/or 2 integron and, although unrelated, half were also transmissible. Sampling site in relationship to effluent input significantly affected the number of intI and mob but not the number of sul and dfr genes. In the presence of low (sub-inhibitory) sulfamethoxazole concentration, isolates persisted regardless of integron and mobilization gene designation, whereas in the presence of trimethoprim, the presence of both integron and mobilization genes made isolates less persistent than in the absence of both or the presence of a gene from either group individually. Regardless, isolates persisted in large concentrations throughout the experiment. Treated effluent containing antibiotic resistant bacteria may be an important source of integrase and mobilization genes into the stream environment. Sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim resistant bacteria may have a high degree of genetic redundancy and diversity carrying resistance to each antibiotic, although the role of integrase and mobilization genes towards persistence is unclear. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Potential tracers for tracking septic tank effluent discharges in watercourses.

PubMed

Richards, Samia; Withers, Paul J A; Paterson, Eric; McRoberts, Colin W; Stutter, Marc

2017-09-01

Septic tank effluent (STE) contributes to catchment nutrient and pollutant loads. To assess the role of STE discharges in impairment of surface water, it is essential to identify the sources of pollution by tracing contaminants in watercourses. We examined tracers that were present in STE to establish their potential for identifying STE contamination in two stream systems (low and high dilution levels) against the background of upstream sources. The studied tracers were microbial, organic matter fluorescence, caffeine, artificial sweeteners and effluent chemical concentrations. The results revealed that tracer concentration ratios Cl/EC, Cl/NH 4 -N, Cl/TN, Cl/TSS, Cl/turbidity, Cl/total coliforms, Cl/sucralose, Cl/saccharin and Cl/Zn had potential as tracers in the stream with low dilution level (P < 0.05). Fluorescence spectroscopy could detect STE inputs through the presence of the tryptophan-like peak, but was limited to water courses with low level of dilution and was positively correlated with stream Escherichia coli (E. coli) and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP). The results also suggested that caffeine and artificial sweeteners can be suitable tracers for effluent discharge in streams with low and high level of dilution. Caffeine and saccharin were positively correlated with faecal coliforms, E. coli, total P and SRP, indicating their potential to trace discharge of a faecal origin and to be a marker for effluent P. Caffeine and SRP had similar attenuation behaviour in the receiving stream waters suggesting caffeine's potential role as a surrogate indicator for the behaviour of P downstream of effluent inputs. Taken together, results suggest that a single tracer alone was not sufficient to evaluate STE contamination of watercourses, but rather a combination of multiple chemical and physical tracing approaches should be employed. A multiple tracing approach would help to identify individual and cumulative STE inputs that pose risks to stream waters in order to prioritise and target effective mitigation measures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Occurrence, elimination, enantiomeric distribution and intra-day variations of chiral pharmaceuticals in major wastewater treatment plants in Beijing, China.

PubMed

Duan, Lei; Zhang, Yizhe; Wang, Bin; Deng, Shubo; Huang, Jun; Wang, Yujue; Yu, Gang

2018-04-18

The occurrence, eliminations, enantiomeric distribution and intra-day variations of five chiral pharmaceuticals (three beta-blockers and two antidepressants) were investigated in eight major WWTPs in Beijing, China. The results revealed that metoprolol (MTP) and venlafaxine (VFX) were of the highest concentrations among the five determined pharmaceuticals with mean concentrations of 803 ng L -1 and 408 ng L -1 , respectively in influents, and 354 ng L -1 and 165 ng L -1 in effluents, respectively. Their removal efficiencies, intra-day concentration changes and enantiomeric profiles during wastewater treatment were further analyzed. Loads of these two chiral pharmaceuticals were also studied to reveal drug use pattern. A/A/O+MBR (anaerobic/anoxic/oxic + membrane bio-reactor) followed by joint disinfection treatment process exhibited the high removal efficiencies. No or weak enantioselectivity was observed in most WWTPs. However, obvious enantiomeric fraction (EF) changing of MTP was observed in WWTP3 employing A/A/O+MBR. Intra-day concentration fluctuations of MTP were smaller than VFX. A quick response to sudden rise influent concentration of MTP was observed in WWTP1 effluent but EF response lagged behind. Similar bihourly EF variations in influents and effluents were also observed in most WWTPs for MTP and VFX in consideration of hydraulic residence time (HRT). Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A river-scale Lagrangian experiment examining controls on phytoplankton dynamics in the presence and absence of treated wastewater effluent high in ammonium

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kraus, Tamara; Carpenter, Kurt; Bergamaschi, Brian; Parker, Alexander; Stumpner, Elizabeth; Downing, Bryan D.; Travis, Nicole; Wilkerson, Frances; Kendall, Carol; Mussen, Timothy

2017-01-01

Phytoplankton are critical component of the food web in most large rivers and estuaries, and thus identifying dominant controls on phytoplankton abundance and species composition is important to scientists, managers, and policymakers. Recent studies from a variety of systems indicate that ammonium ( NH+4) in treated wastewater effluent decreases primary production and alters phytoplankton species composition. However, these findings are based mainly on laboratory and enclosure studies, which may not adequately represent natural systems. To test effects of effluent high in ammonium on phytoplankton at the ecosystem scale, we conducted whole-river–scale experiments by halting discharges to the Sacramento River from the regional wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), and used a Lagrangian approach to compare changes in phytoplankton abundance and species composition in the presence (+EFF) and absence (−EFF) of effluent. Over 5 d of downstream travel from 20 km above to 50 km below the WWTP, chlorophyll concentrations declined from 15–25 to ∼2.5 μg L−1, irrespective of effluent addition. Benthic diatoms were dominant in most samples. We found no significant difference in phytoplankton abundance or species composition between +EFF and −EFF conditions. Moreover, greatest declines in chlorophyll occurred upstream of the WWTP where NH+4 concentrations were low. Grazing by clams and zooplankton could not account for observed losses, suggesting other factors such as hydrodynamics and light limitation were responsible for phytoplankton declines. These results highlight the advantages of conducting ecosystem-scale, Lagrangian-based experiments to understand the dynamic and complex interplay between physical, chemical, and biological factors that control phytoplankton populations.

Deposition of chromium in aquatic ecosystem from effluents of handloom textile industries in Ranaghat-Fulia region of West Bengal, India.

PubMed

Sanyal, Tanmay; Kaviraj, Anilava; Saha, Subrata

2015-11-01

Accumulation of chromium (Cr) was determined in water, sediment, aquatic plants, invertebrates and fish in aquatic ecosystems receiving effluents from handloom textile industries in Ranaghat-Fulia region of West Bengal in India. Cr was determined in the samples by atomic absorption spectrophotometer and data were analyzed functionally by Genetic Algorithm to determine trend of depositions of Cr in the sediment and water. Area plot curve was used to represent accumulation of Cr in biota. The results indicate that the aquatic ecosystems receiving the effluents from handloom textile factories are heavily contaminated by Cr. The contamination is hardly reflected in the concentration of Cr in water, but sediment exhibits seasonal fluctuation in deposition of Cr, concentration reaching to as high as 451.0 μg g(-1) during the peak production period. There is a clear trend of gradual increase in the deposition of Cr in the sediment. Aquatic weed, insect and mollusk specimens collected from both closed water bodies (S1 & S2) and riverine resources (S3 & S4) showed high rate of accumulation of Cr. Maximum concentration of Cr was detected in roots of aquatic weeds (877.5 μg g(-1)). Fish specimens collected from the polluted sites (S3 & S4) of river Churni showed moderate to high concentration of Cr in different tissues. Maximum concentration was detected in the liver of Glossogobius giuris (679.7 μg g(-1)) during monsoon followed by gill of Mystus bleekeri (190.0 μg g(-1)) and gut of G. giuris (123.7 μg g(-1)) during summer. Eutropiichthys vacha showed moderately high concentration of Cr in different tissues (65-99 μg g(-1)) while Puntius sarana showed relatively low concentration of Cr (below detection limit to 18.0 μg g(-1)) in different tissues except in gill (64.4 μg g(-1)).

Deposition of chromium in aquatic ecosystem from effluents of handloom textile industries in Ranaghat–Fulia region of West Bengal, India

PubMed Central

Sanyal, Tanmay; Kaviraj, Anilava; Saha, Subrata

2014-01-01

Accumulation of chromium (Cr) was determined in water, sediment, aquatic plants, invertebrates and fish in aquatic ecosystems receiving effluents from handloom textile industries in Ranaghat–Fulia region of West Bengal in India. Cr was determined in the samples by atomic absorption spectrophotometer and data were analyzed functionally by Genetic Algorithm to determine trend of depositions of Cr in the sediment and water. Area plot curve was used to represent accumulation of Cr in biota. The results indicate that the aquatic ecosystems receiving the effluents from handloom textile factories are heavily contaminated by Cr. The contamination is hardly reflected in the concentration of Cr in water, but sediment exhibits seasonal fluctuation in deposition of Cr, concentration reaching to as high as 451.0 μg g−1 during the peak production period. There is a clear trend of gradual increase in the deposition of Cr in the sediment. Aquatic weed, insect and mollusk specimens collected from both closed water bodies (S1 & S2) and riverine resources (S3 & S4) showed high rate of accumulation of Cr. Maximum concentration of Cr was detected in roots of aquatic weeds (877.5 μg g−1). Fish specimens collected from the polluted sites (S3 & S4) of river Churni showed moderate to high concentration of Cr in different tissues. Maximum concentration was detected in the liver of Glossogobius giuris (679.7 μg g−1) during monsoon followed by gill of Mystus bleekeri (190.0 μg g−1) and gut of G. giuris (123.7 μg g−1) during summer. Eutropiichthys vacha showed moderately high concentration of Cr in different tissues (65–99 μg g−1) while Puntius sarana showed relatively low concentration of Cr (below detection limit to 18.0 μg g−1) in different tissues except in gill (64.4 μg g−1). PMID:26644938

Determination of two progestin metabolites (17α-hydroxypregnanolone and pregnanediol) and different classes of steroids (androgens, estrogens, corticosteroids, progestins) in rivers and wastewaters by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS).

PubMed

Zhang, Kun; Fent, Karl

2018-01-01

A highly sensitive and robust method was developed for routine analysis of two progestin metabolites, 17α-hydroxypregnanolone (17OH-Δ5P) and pregnanediol (PD), and 31 other natural and synthetic steroids and related metabolites (estrogens, androgens, corticosteroids, progestins) in river water, as well as influents and effluents of municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) using HPLC-MS/MS combined with solid-phase extraction. For the various matrixes considered, the optimized method showed satisfactory performance with recoveries of 70-120% for most of target steroids. The method detection limits (MDLs) ranged from 0.01 to 3ng/L for river water, 0.02 to 10ng/L for WWTP effluents, and 0.1 to 40ng/L for influents with good linearity and reproducibility. The developed method was successfully applied for the analysis of steroids in rivers and WWTP influent and effluents. WWTP influents concentrations of 17OH-Δ5P and PD were 51-256ng/L and up to 400ng/L, respectively, along with androstenedione (concentration range: 38-220ng/L), testosterone (11-26ng/L), estrone (2.3-37ng/L), 17β-estradiol (N.D.-8.7ng/L), 17α-hydroxyprogesterone (N.D.-66ng/L), medroxyprogesterone acetate (N.D.-5.3ng/L), and progesterone (2.0-22ng/L), while only androstenedione (ADD), estrone (E1), and estriol (E3) were detected in effluent with concentrations ranging up to 1.7ng/L, 0.90ng/L and 0.8ng/L, respectively. In river water samples, only ADD and E1 were detected with concentrations up to 1.0ng/L and 0.91ng/L. Our procedure represents the first method for analyzing 17OH-Δ5P and PD in environmental samples along with a large series of steroids. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Buildup of heavy metals in soil-water-plant continuum as influenced by irrigation with contaminated effluent.

PubMed

Sachan, Sanjay; Singh, S K; Srivastava, P C

2007-10-01

Accumulation of heavy metals in soil-water-plant continuum as a result of irrigation with metals contaminated effluent has been studied. Effluents being used for irrigating agricultural fields had normal pH 7.3-7.5, high Cr and Cl content as per the prescribed standards for irrigation. Among the heavy metals, buildup of total Iron was highest (9 times) and that of cadmium (1.3 times) was lowest in effluent irrigated soil as compared to tubewell irrigated soils. In most of the hand pump water samples, Pb, Cd and Cr were above the permissible limits for drinking. Bioaccumulation of Pb and Cr in vegetables was found to be above the critical concentrations for plant growth while Pb and Cd were above the prescribed limit in the diet of animals. Most of the heavy metals were above the maximum allowable limit in soil.

Occurrence of selected pharmaceuticals in the principal sewage treatment plants in Rome (Italy) and in the receiving surface waters.

PubMed

Patrolecco, Luisa; Capri, Silvio; Ademollo, Nicoletta

2015-04-01

This paper provides data on the occurrence of selected human pharmaceuticals (carbamazepine, clofibric acid, diclofenac, fenofibrate, fenoprofen, gemfibrozil, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, and naproxen) including steroid hormones (17β-estradiol, 17α-ethinylestradiol, and estrone) in influents/effluents to/from the four principal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) serving the city of Rome (Italy), in two different sampling campaigns. Target compounds were also analyzed in the receiving River Tiber and River Aniene. Analytical determination was carried out by LC-MS/MS after sample cleanup and concentration by off-line solid-phase extraction (SPE). The aim of the study was to increase the information currently available on the presence and persistence of pharmaceuticals in Italian urban wastewaters and to evaluate the environmental impact of the pharmaceutical residues discharged through effluents into the receiving rivers. Results indicated that after the treatment processes, most of pharmaceuticals were not completely eliminated, as average removal efficiencies were in the 14-100% wide range during both sampling periods, with higher yields in spring than in winter. Levels detected in overall samples ranged from 5 to 2,230 ng/L in influents and from 5 to 1,424 ng/L in effluents. Carbamazepine, diclofenac, ibuprofen, and gemfibrozil showed the highest persistence to removal. Concentrations in the receiving waters were about one order of magnitude lower than in effluents, with a tendency to increase progressively through the urban tract of the river. Finally, an environmental risk analysis showed that carbamazepine, gemfibrozil, and estrone can pose a high risk at the concentrations detected in effluents and a medium risk in rivers, highlighting their potential hazard for the health of the aquatic ecosystem.

The effectiveness of sewage treatment processes to remove faecal pathogens and antibiotic residues

PubMed Central

Hendricks, Rahzia; Pool, Edmund John

2012-01-01

Pathogens and antibiotics enter the aquatic environment via sewage effluents and may pose a health risk to wild life and humans. The aim of this study was to determine the levels of faecal bacteria, and selected antibiotic residues in raw wastewater and treated sewage effluents from three different sewage treatment plants in the Western Cape, South Africa. Sewage treatment plant 1 and 2 use older technologies, while sewage treatment plant 3 has been upgraded and membrane technologies were incorporated in the treatment processes. Coliforms and Escherichia coli (E. coli) were used as bioindicators for faecal bacteria. A chromogenic test was used to screen for coliforms and E. coli. Fluoroquinolones and sulfamethoxazole are commonly used antibiotics and were selected to monitor the efficiency of sewage treatment processes for antibiotic removal. Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISAs) were used to quantitate antibiotic residues in raw and treated sewage. Raw intake water at all treatment plants contained total coliforms and E. coli. High removal of E. coli by treatment processes was evident for treatment plant 2 and 3 only. Fluoroquinolones and sulfamethoxazole were detected in raw wastewater from all sewage treatment plants. Treatment processes at plant 1 did not reduce the fluoroquinolone concentration in treated sewage effluents. Treatment processes at plant 2 and 3 reduced the fluoroquinolone concentration by 21% and 31%, respectively. Treatment processes at plant 1 did not reduce the sulfamethoxazole concentration in treated sewage effluents. Treatment processes at plant 2 and 3 reduced sulfamethoxazole by 34% and 56%, respectively. This study showed that bacteria and antibiotic residues are still discharged into the environment. Further research needs to be undertaken to improve sewage treatment technologies, thereby producing a better quality treated sewage effluent. PMID:22242882

Occurrence, distribution, and sources of antimicrobials in a mixed-use watershed.

PubMed

Couperus, Nathanael P; Pagsuyoin, Sheree A; Bragg, Leslie M; Servos, Mark R

2016-01-15

The release into the environment of antimicrobial compounds from both human and agricultural sources is a growing global concern. The Grand River watershed, the largest mixed-use watershed in southern Ontario, receives runoff from intensive animal production as well as municipal wastewater effluents from a rapidly increasing human population. A survey of surface waters and wastewater effluents was conducted across the watershed to assess the occurrence and distribution of several antimicrobials (i.e., trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole, sulfamethazine, lincomycin, and monensin) and chemical indicators (i.e., ammonia, nitrate, ibuprofen, venlafaxine, atrazine) and to characterize exposure levels. The human antimicrobials trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole were detected in the urban areas of the main channel at mean concentrations of 8 ± 7 ng/L and 31 ± 24 ng/L, respectively, but at much lower concentrations in the agricultural tributaries. In contrast, the veterinary antimicrobial sulfamethazine was detected at a mean concentration of 11 ± 9 ng/L in the main channel, and at a much higher concentration in the agricultural tributaries. Lincomycin was detected in only two river samples and not in the effluents while monensin was not detected in all samples. The herbicide atrazine was detected at very low concentrations in the surface waters of both the tributaries and the main channel. The concentrations of the antimicrobials and chemical indicators generally increased downstream of the confluences with agricultural tributaries and effluent outfalls. In the wastewater effluents, the concentrations of trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole, ibuprofen, and venlafaxine decreased with increasing treatment levels (i.e., secondary to tertiary) as indicated by ammonia/nitrate concentrations. There was a strong correlation among trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole, and venlafaxine in the main channel and in the wastewater effluents. While the environmental concentrations of antimicrobials in the watershed are low relative to toxicity thresholds, their persistence in the environment may be an important consideration in defining strategies for future water management. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Denitrification in a South Louisiana wetland forest receiving treated sewage effluent

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boustany, R.G.; Crozier, C.R.; Rybczyk, J.M.; Twilley, R.R.

1996-01-01

Although denitrification has the potential to reduce nitrate (NO3a??) pollution of surface waters, the quantification of denitrification rates is complex because it requires differentiation from other mechanisms and is highly variable in both space and time. This study first measured potential denitrification rates at a wetland forest site in south Louisiana before receipt of secondary wastewater effluent, and then, following 30 months of effluent application, landscape gradients of dissolved nitrate (NO3a??) and nitrous oxide (N2O) were measured. A computer model was developed to quantify N transformations. Floodwater NO3a?? and N2O concentrations were higher in the forest receiving effluent than in the adjacent control forest. Denitrification rates of NO3a?? -amended soil cores ranged from 0.03a??0.45 g N ma??2 da??1 with an overall mean of 0.10 g N ma??2 da??1. Effluent N is being applied at a rate of approximately 0.034 g N ma??2 da??1, with approximately 95% disappearing along a 1 km transect. In the treatment forest, floodwater NO3a?? concentrations decreased from 1000 M at the inflow point to 50 M along the 1 km transect. Nitrous oxide concentrations increased from 0.25 M to 1.2 M within the first 100 m, but decreased to 0.1 M over the next 900 m. The initial increase in N2O was presumably a result ofin situ denitrification. Model analyses indicated that denitrification was directly associated with nitrification and was limited by the availability of NO3a?? produced by nitrification. Due to different redox potential optima, coupling of nitrification and denitrification was a function of a balance of environmental conditions that was moderately favorable to both processes. N removal efficiency was largely dependent on the proportion of effluent NH4+ to NO3a?? . When NH4+ /NO3a?? was 1, average N removal efficiency ranged from 95a??100%, but ratios that were >1 reduced average efficiencies to as low as 57%. Actual effluent NH4+ /NO3a?? loading ratios at this site are approximately 0.2 and are consistently <1.

Investigation of endogenous biomass efficiency in the treatment of unhairing effluents from the tanning industry.

PubMed

Mlaik, Najwa; Bouzid, Jalel; Gharsallah, Neji; Belbahri, Lassad; Woodward, Steve; Mechichi, Tahar

2009-08-01

The tanning industry is of great economic importance worldwide; however, the potential environmental impact of tanning is significant. An important component in tanning is the removal of hair from the hide (unhairing), a process which generates considerable amounts of toxic effluent characterized by a high concentration of sulphur, rich mineral compounds, a high alkalinity and a high organic load. The purpose of the work described here was to evaluate the biodegradability of the unhairing wastewater by endogenous biomass in batch culture and continuous systems. The detoxification of the effluent was assessed by seed germination tests. The batch culture experiments showed that variations in COD, temperature and pH significantly affected the endogenous biomass growth and activity. The optimal treatment condition corresponded to an initial COD of 6 g/L, pH of 7 and 30 degrees C. Under continuous culture conditions, the reactor was fed for 48 days with the unhairing effluent. The optimal COD removal efficiency was 85.5%. During treatment, a transformation of sulphides into thiosulphates and then sulphates was also observed. The effect of untreated and treated unhairing wastewater on seed germination of different plant species was studied. The data suggested that treatment decreased the wastewater toxicity. Indeed, germination was inhibited when the effluent dilution was lower than 20% and 10% for treated and untreated wastewater, respectively.

Fate of human viruses in groundwater recharge systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vaughn, J.M.; Landry, E.F.

1980-03-01

The overall objective of this research program was to determine the ability of a well-managed tertiary effluent-recharge system to return virologically acceptable water to the groundwater aquifer. The study assessed the quality of waters renovated by indigenous recharge operations and investigated a number of virus-soil interrelationships. The elucidation of the interactions led to the establishment of basin operating criteria for optimizing virus removal. Raw influents, chlorinated tertiary effluents, and renovated wastewater from the aquifer directly beneath a uniquely designed recharge test basin were assayed on a weekly basis for the presence of human enteroviruses and coliform bacteria. High concentrations ofmore » viruses were routinely isolated from influents but were isolated only on four occasions from tertiary-treated sewage effluents. In spite of the high quality effluent being recharged, viruses were isolated from the groundwater observation well, indicating their ability to penetrate the unsaturated zone. Results of poliovirus seeding experiments carried out in the test basin clearly indicated the need to operate recharge basins at low (e.g. 1 cm/h) infiltration rates in areas having soil types similar to those found at the study site. The method selected for reducing the test basin infiltration rate involved clogging the basin surface with settled organic material from highly turbid effluent. Alternative methods for slowing infiltration rates are discussed in the text.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Becker, C.D.; Woodfield, W.G.; Strand, J.A.

The Freshwater Sciences Section of PNL has initiated biologically oriented studies at the P and M solvent refined coal (SRC) pilot plant on the Fort Lewis Reservation in western Washington. Essentially, the study objectives are to identify residual components in the treated SRC process and assess potential for adverse impact on water quality and aquatic biota. Since inception of research in mid-1976, six static toxicity tests with treated SRC process effluent have been conducted. Toxic components, not yet specifically identified, sometimes occur in the effluent. It is believed these components involve organic hydrocarbons of the phenol and cresol groups. Analysesmore » have been obtained on inorganic and organic constituents in partially-treated and treated process effluent. Concentrations of inorganics identified in the effluent did not differ greatly from their concentrations in Lake Sequalitchew or SRC plant tap water, but the low concentrations may be due primarily to dilution with freshwater before discharge. Organics identified in the effluent are similar to those found in samples contaminated with petroleum, and involve many complex hydrocarbons.« less

Assessing Ecological Impacts of Shrimp and Sewage Effluent: Biological Indicators with Standard Water Quality Analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, A. B.; O'Donohue, M. J.; Udy, J.; Dennison, W. C.

2001-01-01

Despite evidence linking shrimp farming to several cases of environmental degradation, there remains a lack of ecologically meaningful information about the impacts of effluent on receiving waters. The aim of this study was to determine the biological impact of shrimp farm effluent, and to compare and distinguish its impacts from treated sewage effluent. Analyses included standard water quality/sediment parameters, as well as biological indicators including tissue nitrogen (N) content, stable isotope ratio of nitrogen (δ 15N), and amino acid composition of inhabitant seagrasses, mangroves and macroalgae. The study area consisted of two tidal creeks, one receiving effluent from a sewage treatment plant and the other from an intensive shrimp farm. The creeks discharged into the western side of Moreton Bay, a sub-tropical coastal embayment on the east coast of Australia. Characterization of water quality revealed significant differences between the creeks, and with unimpacted eastern Moreton Bay. The sewage creek had higher concentrations of dissolved nutrients (predominantly NO-3/NO-2 and PO3-4, compared to NH+4 in the shrimp creek). In contrast, the shrimp creek was more turbid and had higher phytoplankton productivity. Beyond 750 m from the creek mouths, water quality parameters were indistinguishable from eastern Moreton Bay values. Biological indicators detected significant impacts up to 4 km beyond the creek mouths (reference site). Elevated plant δ 15N values ranged from 10·4-19·6‰ at the site of sewage discharge to 2·9-4·5‰ at the reference site. The free amino acid concentration and composition of seagrass and macroalgae was used to distinguish between the uptake of sewage and shrimp derived N. Proline (seagrass) and serine (macroalgae) were high in sewage impacted plants and glutamine (seagrass) and alanine (macroalgae) were high in plants impacted by shrimp effluent. The δ 15N isotopic signatures and free amino acid composition of inhabitant flora indicated that sewage N extended further from the creek mouths than shrimp N. The combination of physical/chemical and biological indicators used in this study was effective in distinguishing the composition and subsequent impacts of aquaculture and sewage effluent on the receiving waters.

Concentrations of cyclic volatile methylsiloxanes in biosolid amended soil, influent, effluent, receiving water, and sediment of wastewater treatment plants in Canada.

PubMed

Wang, De-Gao; Steer, Helena; Tait, Tara; Williams, Zackery; Pacepavicius, Grazina; Young, Teresa; Ng, Timothy; Smyth, Shirley Anne; Kinsman, Laura; Alaee, Mehran

2013-10-01

A comprehensive surveillance program was conducted to determine the occurrence of three cyclic volatile methylsiloxanes (cVMS) octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4), decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5), and dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane (D6) in environmental compartments impacted by wastewater effluent discharges. Eleven wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), representative of those found in Southern Ontario and Southern Quebec, Canada, were investigated to determine levels of cVMS in their influents and effluents. In addition, receiving water and sediment impacted by WWTP effluents, and biosolid-amended soil from agricultural fields were also analyzed for a preliminary evaluation of the environmental exposure of cVMS in media impacted by wastewater effluent and solids. A newly-developed large volume injection (septumless head adapter and cooled injection system) gas chromatography - mass spectrometry method was used to avoid contamination originating from instrumental analysis. Concentrations of D4, D5, and D6 in influents to the 11 WWTPs were in the range 0.282-6.69μgL(-1), 7.75-135μgL(-1), and 1.53-26.9μgL(-1), respectively. In general, wastewater treatment showed cVMS removal rates of greater than 92%, regardless of treatment type. The D4, D5, and D6 concentration ranges in effluent were <0.009-0.045μgL(-1), <0.027-1.56μgL(-1), and <0.022-0.093μgL(-1), respectively. The concentrations in receiving water influenced by effluent, were lower compared to those in effluent in most cases, with the ranges <0.009-0.023μgL(-1), <0.027-1.48μgL(-1), and <0.022-0.151μgL(-1) for D4, D5, and D6, respectively. Sediment concentrations ranged from <0.003-0.049μgg(-1)dw, 0.011-5.84μgg(-1)dw, and 0.004-0.371μgg(-1)dw for D4, D5, and D6, respectively. The concentrations in biosolid-amended soil, having values of <0.008-0.017μgg(-1)dw, <0.007-0.221μgg(-1)dw, and <0.009-0.711μgg(-1)dw for D4, D5, and D6, respectively, were lower than those in sediment impacted by wastewater effluent in most cases. In comparison with the no-observed-effected concentrations (NOEC) and IC50 (concentration that causes 50% inhibition of the response) values, the potential risks to aquatic, sediment-dwelling, and terrestrial organisms from these reported concentrations are low. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Combined sewer overflows: an environmental source of hormones and wastewater micropollutants

USGS Publications Warehouse

Phillips, P.J.; Chalmers, A.T.; Gray, J.L.; Kolpin, D.W.; Foreman, W.T.; Wall, G.R.

2012-01-01

Data were collected at a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Burlington, Vermont, USA, (serving 30,000 people) to assess the relative contribution of CSO (combined sewer overflow) bypass flows and treated wastewater effluent to the load of steroid hormones and other wastewater micropollutants (WMPs) from a WWTP to a lake. Flow-weighted composite samples were collected over a 13 month period at this WWTP from CSO bypass flows or plant influent flows (n = 28) and treated effluent discharges (n = 22). Although CSO discharges represent 10% of the total annual water discharge (CSO plus treated plant effluent discharges) from the WWTP, CSO discharges contribute 40–90% of the annual load for hormones and WMPs with high (>90%) wastewater treatment removal efficiency. By contrast, compounds with low removal efficiencies (<90%) have less than 10% of annual load contributed by CSO discharges. Concentrations of estrogens, androgens, and WMPs generally are 10 times higher in CSO discharges compared to treated wastewater discharges. Compound concentrations in samples of CSO discharges generally decrease with increasing flow because of wastewater dilution by rainfall runoff. By contrast, concentrations of hormones and many WMPs in samples from treated discharges can increase with increasing flow due to decreasing removal efficiency.

Combined Sewer Overflows: An Environmental Source of Hormones and Wastewater Micropollutants

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Data were collected at a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Burlington, Vermont, USA, (serving 30,000 people) to assess the relative contribution of CSO (combined sewer overflow) bypass flows and treated wastewater effluent to the load of steroid hormones and other wastewater micropollutants (WMPs) from a WWTP to a lake. Flow-weighted composite samples were collected over a 13 month period at this WWTP from CSO bypass flows or plant influent flows (n = 28) and treated effluent discharges (n = 22). Although CSO discharges represent 10% of the total annual water discharge (CSO plus treated plant effluent discharges) from the WWTP, CSO discharges contribute 40–90% of the annual load for hormones and WMPs with high (>90%) wastewater treatment removal efficiency. By contrast, compounds with low removal efficiencies (<90%) have less than 10% of annual load contributed by CSO discharges. Concentrations of estrogens, androgens, and WMPs generally are 10 times higher in CSO discharges compared to treated wastewater discharges. Compound concentrations in samples of CSO discharges generally decrease with increasing flow because of wastewater dilution by rainfall runoff. By contrast, concentrations of hormones and many WMPs in samples from treated discharges can increase with increasing flow due to decreasing removal efficiency. PMID:22540536

Use of watershed factors to predict consumer surfactant risk, water quality, and habitat quality in the upper Trinity River, Texas.

PubMed

Atkinson, S F; Johnson, D R; Venables, B J; Slye, J L; Kennedy, J R; Dyer, S D; Price, B B; Ciarlo, M; Stanton, K; Sanderson, H; Nielsen, A

2009-06-15

Surfactants are high production volume chemicals that are used in a wide assortment of "down-the-drain" consumer products. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) generally remove 85 to more than 99% of all surfactants from influents, but residual concentrations are discharged into receiving waters via wastewater treatment plant effluents. The Trinity River that flows through the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, Texas, is an ideal study site for surfactants due to the high ratio of wastewater treatment plant effluent to river flow (>95%) during late summer months, providing an interesting scenario for surfactant loading into the environment. The objective of this project was to determine whether surfactant concentrations, expressed as toxic units, in-stream water quality, and aquatic habitat in the upper Trinity River could be predicted based on easily accessible watershed characteristics. Surface water and pore water samples were collected in late summer 2005 at 11 sites on the Trinity River in and around the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. Effluents of 4 major waste water treatment plants that discharge effluents into the Trinity River were also sampled. General chemistries and individual surfactant concentrations were determined, and total surfactant toxic units were calculated. GIS models of geospatial, anthropogenic factors (e.g., population density) and natural factors (e.g., soil organic matter) were collected and analyzed according to subwatersheds. Multiple regression analyses using the stepwise maximum R(2) improvement method were performed to develop prediction models of surfactant risk, water quality, and aquatic habitat (dependent variables) using the geospatial parameters (independent variables) that characterized the upper Trinity River watershed. We show that GIS modeling has the potential to be a reliable and inexpensive method of predicting water and habitat quality in the upper Trinity River watershed and perhaps other highly urbanized watersheds in semi-arid regions.

Decolorization and Degradation of Batik Dye Effluent using Ganoderma lucidum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pratiwi, Diah; Indrianingsih, A. W.; Darsih, Cici; Hernawan

2017-12-01

Batik is product of traditional Indonesia culture that developed into a large textile industry. Synthetic dyes which widely used in textile industries including batik. Colour can be removed from wastewater effluent by chemical, physical, and biology methods. Bioremediation is one of the methods that used for processing colored effluent. Isolated White-rot fungi Ganoderma lucidum was used for bioremediation process for batik effluent. G. lucidum was developed by G. lucidum cultivation on centers of mushroom farmer Media Agro Merapi Kaliurang, Yogyakarta. The batik effluent was collected from a private small and medium Batik enterprises located at Petir, Rongkop, Gunungkidul Regency. The aim of the study were to optimize decolorization of Naphtol Black (NB) using G. lucidum. The effect of process parameters like incubation time and dye concentration on dye decolorization and COD degradation was studied. G. lucidum were growth at pH 5-6 and temperature 25°C at various Naphtol Black dye with concentration 20 ppm, 50 ppm, and 100 ppm for 30 day incubation time. The result from this study increased decolorization in line with the increasing of COD degradation. Increasing percentage of decolorization and COD degradation gradually increased with incubation time and dye concentration. The maximum decolorization and COD reduction were found to be 60,53% and 81,03%. G. lucidum had potential to decolorized and degraded COD for NB dye effluent on higher concentration.

Concentrations of Prioritized Pharmaceuticals in Effluents from 50 Large Wastewater Treatment Plants in the US and Implications for Risk Estimation

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

PDF file of Concentrations of Prioritized Pharmaceuticals in Effluents from 50 Large Wastewater Treatment Plants in the US and Implications for Risk Estimation by Mitchell Kostich, Angella Batt, and James Lazorchak

A Review on Advanced Treatment of Pharmaceutical Wastewater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Y.; Qi, P. S.; Liu, Y. Z.

2017-05-01

The composition of pharmaceutical wastewater is complex, which is high concentration of organic matter, microbial toxicity, high salt, and difficult to biodegrade. After secondary treatment, there are still trace amounts of suspended solids and dissolved organic matter. To improve the quality of pharmaceutical wastewater effluent, advanced treatment is essential. In this paper, the classification of the pharmaceutical technology was introduced, and the characteristics of pharmaceutical wastewater effluent quality were summarized. The methods of advanced treatment of pharmaceutical wastewater were reviewed afterwards, which included coagulation and sedimentation, flotation, activated carbon adsorption, membrane separation, advanced oxidation processes, membrane separation and biological treatment. Meanwhile, the characteristics of each process were described.

Systematic study of the contamination of wastewater treatment plant effluents by organic priority compounds in Almeria province (SE Spain).

PubMed

Barco-Bonilla, Nieves; Romero-González, Roberto; Plaza-Bolaños, Patricia; Martínez Vidal, José L; Garrido Frenich, Antonia

2013-03-01

The occurrence of priority organic pollutants in wastewater (WW) effluents was evaluated in a semi-arid area, characterized by a high agricultural and tourism activity, as Almeria province (Southeastern Spain). Twelve wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) were sampled in three campaigns during 2011, obtaining a total of 33 WW samples, monitoring 226 compounds, including pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phenolic compounds and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Certain banned organochlorine pesticides such as aldrin, pentachlorobenzene, o,p'-DDD and endosulfan lactone were found, and the most frequently detected pesticides were herbicides (diuron, triazines). PAHs and VOCs were also detected, noting that some of these pollutants were ubiquitous. Regarding phenolic compounds, 4-tertoctylphenol was found in all the WW samples at high concentration levels (up to 89.7 μg/L). Furthermore, it was observed that WW effluent samples were less contaminated in the second and third sampling periods, which corresponded to dry season. This evaluation revealed that despite the WW was treated in the WWTP, organic contaminants are still being detected in WW effluents and therefore they are released into the environment. Finally the risk of environmental threat due to the presence of some compounds in WWTP effluents, especially concerning 4-tertoctylphenol must be indicated. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Pilot study on the treatment of ultrafiltration for laundry wastewater recycling and reuse].

PubMed

Wang, Jin; Jiang, Jin-Hui

2007-02-01

A pilot study of the treatment for laundry wastewater recycling and reuse on the spot was carried out by ultrafiltration (UF) with different membrane material of PAN, PS and PP. According to the analysis of membrane fouling combined with UF effluent quality, PAN membrane was superior to the others. It removed the turbidity, suspended solid, fat oil and grease effectively, but kept anionic surfactant (LAS) to a certain degree in the UF effluent which is beneficial to recycling and reuse. By correlation analysis, it was found the high COD concentration of effluent was caused by LAS remained. The whiteness and softness of cotton cloth washed by UF effluent for a long-term was not different with that washed by tap water. The removal of bacteria and E. coli by UF membrane was not very high, and so UF effluent was disinfected by ultraviolet (UV) further. As the dosage of UV was not less than 3 750 J/m2, the microbial level reached the China national standard of drinking water. The optimal UF operation condition is to backwash two minutes every thirty minutes' filtration. Adopted alkali liquor of pH 11 to 13 to carry out chemical cleaning, the membrane flux was recovered completely.

Bioremediation of Mercury by Vibrio fluvialis Screened from Industrial Effluents

PubMed Central

Saranya, Kailasam; Shekhar, Sudhanshu; Swaminathan, Sankaran; Balasubramanian, Thangavel

2017-01-01

Thirty-one mercury-resistant bacterial strains were isolated from the effluent discharge sites of the SIPCOT industrial area. Among them, only one strain (CASKS5) was selected for further investigation due to its high minimum inhibitory concentration of mercury and low antibiotic susceptibility. In accordance with 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequences, the strain CASKS5 was identified as Vibrio fluvialis. The mercury-removal capacity of V. fluvialis was analyzed at four different concentrations (100, 150, 200, and 250 μg/ml). Efficient bioremediation was observed at a level of 250 μg/ml with the removal of 60% of mercury ions. The interesting outcome of this study was that the strain V. fluvialis had a high bioremediation efficiency but had a low antibiotic resistance. Hence, V. fluvialis could be successfully used as a strain for the ecofriendly removal of mercury. PMID:28626761

Bioremediation of Mercury by Vibrio fluvialis Screened from Industrial Effluents.

PubMed

Saranya, Kailasam; Sundaramanickam, Arumugam; Shekhar, Sudhanshu; Swaminathan, Sankaran; Balasubramanian, Thangavel

2017-01-01

Thirty-one mercury-resistant bacterial strains were isolated from the effluent discharge sites of the SIPCOT industrial area. Among them, only one strain (CASKS5) was selected for further investigation due to its high minimum inhibitory concentration of mercury and low antibiotic susceptibility. In accordance with 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequences, the strain CASKS5 was identified as Vibrio fluvialis . The mercury-removal capacity of V. fluvialis was analyzed at four different concentrations (100, 150, 200, and 250  μ g/ml). Efficient bioremediation was observed at a level of 250  μ g/ml with the removal of 60% of mercury ions. The interesting outcome of this study was that the strain V. fluvialis had a high bioremediation efficiency but had a low antibiotic resistance. Hence, V. fluvialis could be successfully used as a strain for the ecofriendly removal of mercury.

Physiological changes in largemouth bass exposed to paper mill effluents under laboratory and field conditions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sepulveda, M.S.; Gallagher, E.P.; Gross, T.S.

2004-01-01

We report here on studies designed to asses the effects of paper mill effluents on non-reproductive functions of free-ranging and captive Florida largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides floridanus) This was accomplished by conducting an outdoor tank study, in which fish were exposed to well water or to 10%, 20%, 40%, and 80% full strength effluent for 28 or 56 days, and by sampling largemouth bass from sites within the St. Johns River, Florida, upstream and downstream from a paper mill plant. Blood and plasma samples from fish from the tank study and from fish sampled from the ambient sites were analyzed for over 20 variables. We also determined liver and spleen weights and examined them histologically. The most significant finding from the tank study was an increase in the concentration of albumin and hepatosomatic index for bass exposed to ???20% effluents for 56 days. Spleenosomatic index and number of melanomacrophage centers were decreased in bass from effluent-dominated sites (Palatka and Rice Creek), whereas concentrations of calcium, phosphorous, glucose, and creatinine were elevated in fish from these sites, compared to fish from reference streams. Fish from Rice Creek also had fewer red blood cells, and male bass from Palatka had lower concentrations of cholesterol. Plasma concentrations of albumin and hepatic concentrations of glutathione were elevated in males from Palatka, and both females and males from Rice Creek had higher concentrations of globulin. These results indicate a complex pattern of effects of paper mill effluents on several physiological functions. However, despite the myriad of treatment and site-related effects, most physiological parameters fell within normal ranges when compared to reports on largemouth bass and other freshwater species.

Evaluation of anionic surfactant concentrations in US effluents and probabilistic determination of their combined ecological risk in mixing zones.

PubMed

McDonough, Kathleen; Casteel, Kenneth; Itrich, Nina; Menzies, Jennifer; Belanger, Scott; Wehmeyer, Kenneth; Federle, Thomas

2016-12-01

Alcohol sulfates (AS), alcohol ethoxysulfates (AES), linear alkyl benzenesulfonates (LAS) and methyl ester sulfonates (MES) are anionic surfactants that are widely used in household detergents and consumer products resulting in over 1 million tons being disposed of down the drain annually in the US. A monitoring campaign was conducted which collected grab effluent samples from 44 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) across the US to generate statistical distributions of effluent concentrations for anionic surfactants. The mean concentrations for AS, AES, LAS and MES were 5.03±4.5, 1.95±0.7, 15.3±19, and 0.35±0.13μg/L respectively. Since each of these surfactants consist of multiple homologues that differ in their toxicity, the concentration of each homologue measured in an effluent sample was converted into a toxic unit (TU) by normalizing to the predicted no effect concentration (PNEC) derived from high tier effects data (mesocosm studies). The statistical distributions of the combined TUs in the effluents were used in combination with distributions of dilution factors for WWTP mixing zones to conduct a US-wide probabilistic risk assessment for the aquatic environment for each of the surfactants. The 90th percentile level of TUs for AS, AES, LAS and MES in mixing zones were 1.89×10 -2 , 2.73×10 -3 , 2.72×10 -2 , and 3.65×10 -5 under 7Q10 (lowest river flow occurring over a 7day period every 10years) low flow conditions. Because these surfactants have the same toxicological mode of action, the TUs were summed and the aquatic safety for anionic surfactants as a whole was assessed. At the 90th percentile level under the conservative 7Q10 low flow conditions the forecasted TUs were 4.21×10 -2 which indicates that there is a significant margin of safety for the class of anionic surfactants in US aquatic environments. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Using chemical and microbiological indicators to track the impacts from the land application of treated municipal wastewater and other sources on groundwater quality in a karstic springs basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katz, Brian G.; Griffin, Dale W.

2008-08-01

Multiple chemical constituents (nutrients; N, O, H, C stable isotopes; 64 organic wastewater compounds, 16 pharmaceutical compounds) and microbiological indicators were used to assess the impact on groundwater quality from the land application of approximately 9.5 million liters per day of treated municipal sewage effluent to a sprayfield in the 960-km2 Ichetucknee Springs basin, northern Florida. Enriched stable isotope signatures (δ18O and δ2H) were found in water from the effluent reservoir and a sprayfield monitoring well (MW-7) due to evaporation; however, groundwater samples downgradient from the sprayfield have δ18O and δ2H concentrations that represented recharge of meteoric water. Boron and chloride concentrations also were elevated in water from the sprayfield effluent reservoir and MW-7, but concentrations in groundwater decreased substantially with distance downgradient to background levels in the springs (about 12 km) and indicated at least a tenfold dilution factor. Nitrate-nitrogen isotope (δ15N NO3) values above 10 ‰ in most water samples were indicative of organic nitrogen sources except Blue Hole Spring (δ15N NO3 = 4.6 4.9 ‰), which indicated an inorganic source of nitrogen (fertilizers). The detection of low concentrations the insect repellent N, N-diethyl-metatoluamide (DEET), and other organic compounds associated with domestic wastewater in Devil’s Eye Spring indicated that leakage from a nearby septic tank drainfield likely has occurred. Elevated levels of fecal coliforms and enterococci were found in Blue Hole Spring during higher flow conditions, which likely resulted from hydraulic connections to upgradient sinkholes and are consistent with previoius dye-trace studies. Enteroviruses were not detected in the sprayfield effluent reservoir, but were found in low concentrations in water samples from a downgradient well and Blue Hole Spring during high-flow conditions indicating a human wastewater source. The Upper Floridan aquifer in the Ichetucknee Springs basin is highly vulnerable to contamination from multiple anthropogenic sources throughout the springs basin.

Using chemical and microbiological indicators to track the impacts from the land application of treated municipal wastewater and other sources on groundwater quality in a karstic springs basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Katz, B.G.; Griffin, Dale W.

2008-01-01

Multiple chemical constituents (nutrients; N, O, H, C stable isotopes; 64 organic wastewater compounds, 16 pharmaceutical compounds) and microbiological indicators were used to assess the impact on groundwater quality from the land application of approximately 9.5 million liters per day of treated municipal sewage effluent to a sprayfield in the 960-km2 Ichetucknee Springs basin, northern Florida. Enriched stable isotope signatures (?? 18O and ??2H) were found in water from the effluent reservoir and a sprayfield monitoring well (MW-7) due to evaporation; however, groundwater samples downgradient from the sprayfield have ??18O and ??2H concentrations that represented recharge of meteoric water. Boron and chloride concentrations also were elevated in water from the sprayfield effluent reservoir and MW-7, but concentrations in groundwater decreased substantially with distance downgradient to background levels in the springs (about 12 km) and indicated at least a tenfold dilution factor. Nitrate-nitrogen isotope (??15N-NO3) values above 10 ??? in most water samples were indicative of organic nitrogen sources except Blue Hole Spring (??15N-NO3 = 4.6-4.9 ???), which indicated an inorganic source of nitrogen (fertilizers). The detection of low concentrations the insect repellent N,N-diethyl-metatoluamide (DEET), and other organic compounds associated with domestic wastewater in Devil's Eye Spring indicated that leakage from a nearby septic tank drainfield likely has occurred. Elevated levels of fecal coliforms and enterococci were found in Blue Hole Spring during higher flow conditions, which likely resulted from hydraulic connections to upgradient sinkholes and are consistent with previoius dye-trace studies. Enteroviruses were not detected in the sprayfield effluent reservoir, but were found in low concentrations in water samples from a downgradient well and Blue Hole Spring during high-flow conditions indicating a human wastewater source. The Upper Floridan aquifer in the Ichetucknee Springs basin is highly vulnerable to contamination from multiple anthropogenic sources throughout the springs basin. ?? 2007 Springer-Verlag.

Design and performance characterization strategy using modeling for biofiltration control of odorous hydrogen sulfide.

PubMed

Martin, Ronald W; Mihelcic, James R; Crittenden, John C

2004-07-01

Biofilter, dynamic modeling software characterizing contaminant removal via biofiltration, was used in the preliminary design of a biofilter to treat odorous hydrogen sulfide (H2S). Steady-state model simulations were run to generate performance plots for various influent concentrations, loadings, residence times, media sizes, and temperatures. Although elimination capacity and removal efficiency frequently are used to characterize biofilter performance, effluent concentration can be used to characterize performance when treating to a target effluent concentration. Model simulations illustrate that, at a given temperature, a biofilter cannot reduce H2S emissions below a minimum value, no matter how large the biofilter or how long the residence time. However, a higher biofilter temperature results in lower effluent H2S concentrations. Because dynamic model simulations show that shock loading can significantly increase the effluent concentration above values predicted by the steady-state model simulations, it is recommended that, to consistently meet treatment objectives, dynamic feed conditions should be considered. This study illustrates that modeling can serve as a valuable tool in the design and performance optimization of biofilters.

The fate and risk assessment of psychiatric pharmaceuticals from psychiatric hospital effluent.

PubMed

Xiang, Jiajia; Wu, Minghong; Lei, Jianqiu; Fu, Chao; Gu, Jianzhong; Xu, Gang

2018-04-15

Psychiatric pharmaceuticals are gaining public attention because of increasing reports of their occurrence in environment and their potential impact on ecosystems and human health. This work studied the occurrence and fate of 15 selected psychiatric pharmaceuticals from 3 psychiatric hospitals effluent in Shanghai and investigated the effect of hospitals effluent on surface water, groundwater, soil and plant. Amitriptyline (83.57ng) and lorazepam (22.26ng) showed the highest concentration and were found frequently in hospital effluent. Lorazepam (8.27ng), carbamazepine (83.80ng) and diazepam (79.33ng) showed higher values in surface water. The concentration of lorazepam (46.83ng) in groundwater was higher than other reports. Only six target compounds were detected in all three soil points in accordance with very low concentration. Alkaline pharmaceuticals were more easily adsorbed by soil. Carbamazepine (1.29ng) and lorazepam (2.95ngg -1 ) were frequently determined in plant tissues. The correlation analyses (Spearman correlations > 0.5) showed the main source of psychiatric pharmaceuticals pollutants might be hospital effluents (from effluent to surface water; from surface water to groundwater). However, hospital effluents were not the only pollution sources from the perspective of the dilution factor analysis. Although the risk assessment indicated that the risk was low to aquatic organism, the continuous discharge of pollution might cause potential environment problem. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Perchlorate Destruction and Potable Water Production Using Membrane Biofilm Reduction and Membrane Filtration

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-01

fraction of SRB could be active in O2 respiration, fermentation of organics, and even NO3- respiration. Therefore, the metabolic diversity of SRB...the case with PRB, which are able to reduce NO3- and ClO4-. To evaluate the model, we simulated effluent H2, UAP, and BAP concentrations, along with...effluent_experiment 56 Figure 36. Model- simulated concentrations of H2, UAP, and BAP in the effluent. Figure 37. Model- simulated

40 CFR 421.113 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Maximum for monthly average mg/kg (pounds per million pounds) of concentrate digested Lead .174 .081 Zinc... monthly average mg/Kg (pounds per million pounds) of concentrate digested Lead 2.592 1.203 Zinc 9.442 3... Maximum for monthly average mg/kg (pounds per million pounds) of concentrate digested Lead .069 .032 Zinc...

40 CFR 421.113 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Maximum for monthly average mg/kg (pounds per million pounds) of concentrate digested Lead .174 .081 Zinc... monthly average mg/Kg (pounds per million pounds) of concentrate digested Lead 2.592 1.203 Zinc 9.442 3... Maximum for monthly average mg/kg (pounds per million pounds) of concentrate digested Lead .069 .032 Zinc...

Assessing the Sensitivity of Different Life Stages for Sexual Disruption in Roach (Rutilus rutilus) Exposed to Effluents from Wastewater Treatment Works

PubMed Central

Liney, Katherine E.; Jobling, Susan; Shears, Jan A.; Simpson, Peter; Tyler, Charles R.

2005-01-01

Surveys of U.K. rivers have shown a high incidence of sexual disruption in populations of wild roach (Rutilus rutilus) living downstream from wastewater treatment works (WwTW), and the degree of intersex (gonads containing both male and female structural characteristics) has been correlated with the concentration of effluent in those rivers. In this study, we investigated feminized responses to two estrogenic WwTWs in roach exposed for periods during life stages of germ cell division (early life and the postspawning period). Roach were exposed as embryos from fertilization up to 300 days posthatch (dph; to include the period of gonadal sex differentiation) or as postspawning adult males, and including fish that had received previous estrogen exposure, for either 60 or 120 days when the annual event of germ cell proliferation occurs. Both effluents induced vitellogenin synthesis in both life stages studied, and the magnitude of the vitellogenic responses paralleled the effluent content of steroid estrogens. Feminization of the reproductive ducts occurred in male fish in a concentration-dependent manner when the exposure occurred during early life, but we found no effects on the reproductive ducts in adult males. Depuration studies (maintenance of fish in clean water after exposure to WwTW effluent) confirmed that the feminization of the reproductive duct was permanent. We found no evidence of ovotestis development in fish that had no previous estrogen exposure for any of the treatments. In wild adult roach that had previously received exposure to estrogen and were intersex, the degree of intersex increased during the study period, but this was not related to the immediate effluent exposure, suggesting a previously determined programming of ovotestis formation. PMID:16203238

Effects of Sludge Retention Times on Nutrient Removal and Nitrous Oxide Emission in Biological Nutrient Removal Processes

PubMed Central

Li, Bo; Wu, Guangxue

2014-01-01

Sludge retention time (SRT) is an important factor affecting not only the performance of the nutrient removal and sludge characteristics, but also the production of secondary pollutants such as nitrous oxide (N2O) in biological nutrient removal (BNR) processes. Four laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactors (SBRs), namely, SBR5, SBR10, SBR20 and SBR40 with the SRT of 5 d, 10 d, 20 d and 40 d, respectively, were operated to examine effects of SRT on nutrient removal, activated sludge characteristics and N2O emissions. The removal of chemical oxygen demand or total phosphorus was similar under SRTs of 5–40 d, SRT mainly affected the nitrogen removal and the optimal SRT for BNR was 20 d. The molecular weight distribution of the effluent organic matters was in the range of 500–3,000 Da under SRTs of 5–40 d. The lowest concentration of the effluent soluble microbial products concentration was obtained at the SRT of 5 d. Nitrifier growth was limited at a short SRT and nitrite existed in the effluent of SBR5. With increasing SRTs, mixed liquor suspended solids concentration increased while the excess sludge production was reduced due to the high endogenous decay rate at high SRTs. Endogenous decay coefficients were 0.020 d−1, 0.036 d−1, 0.037 d−1 and 0.039 d−1 under SRTs of 5–40 d, respectively. In BNR, the N2O emission occurred mainly during the aerobic phase and its emission ratio decreased with increasing SRTs. The ratio between the N2O-N emission and the removed ammonium nitrogen in the aerobic phase was 5%, 3%, 1.8% and 0.8% at the SRT of 5 d, 10 d, 20 d and 40 d, respectively. With low concentrations of dissolved oxygen and high concentrations of oxidized nitrogen, the N2O emission was significantly accelerated due to heterotrophic denitrification activities. PMID:24681555

THE PRESENCE OF ESTROGENIC AND ANDROGENIC SUBSTANCES IN EFFLUENTS FROM CONCENTRATED ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS

EPA Science Inventory

In February 2003 the U.S.EPA published a final rule on National Polllutant Discharge Elimination System Permit Regulation and Effluent Limitation Guidelines and Standards for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). Manure and wastewater from CAFOs have the potential to c...

40 CFR 463.12 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... and grease 29 TSS 19 pH (1) 1 Within the range of 6.0 to 9.0 at all times. The permit authority will... following pollutant concentrations: Subpart A [Contact cooling and heating water] Concentration used to...

40 CFR 463.12 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... and grease 29 TSS 19 pH (1) 1 Within the range of 6.0 to 9.0 at all times. The permit authority will... following pollutant concentrations: Subpart A [Contact cooling and heating water] Concentration used to...

40 CFR 463.12 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... and grease 29 TSS 19 pH (1) 1 Within the range of 6.0 to 9.0 at all times. The permit authority will... following pollutant concentrations: Subpart A [Contact cooling and heating water] Concentration used to...

Recuperation de la matiere organique biodegradable presente dans l'effluent d'un MBBR a forte charge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brosseau, Catherine

High-rate processes are receiving great interest due to their potential to favor the energy balance of water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) either for their design or retrofit. Anaerobic digestion is a process that allows the valorization of organic biodegradable matter contained in sludge into biogas. This process also produces a stabilized sludge named digestate or biosolids that can be reused for agriculture purposes. This project proposed a secondary treatment train composed of a high-rate moving bed biofilm reactor (HR-MBBR) to biotransform colloidal and soluble biodegradable organics into particulate matter followed by an enhanced and compact physico-chemical separation process to recover mainly particulate organics and a part of the colloidal matter. A high-rate biological process operated at a low hydraulic retention time aimed at transforming colloidal and soluble fractions of organic matter into a particulate fraction for recovery by downstream separation process. The HR-MBBR effluent solids are known for their poor settleability, therefore requiring an efficient separation process downstream to ensure their recovery and to meet the effluent discharge regulations. The global objective of this project was to maximize the recovery of organic biodegradable matter for valorization into biogas by anaerobic digestion with an innovative treatment train combining an HR-MBBR and a separation process. The specific objectives of this report were 1) to characterize the HR-MBBR effluent solids and 2) to determine the efficiency of several physico-chemical separation processes combined with unbiodegradable or natural based coagulants and polymers. Effluents of lab-scale HR-MBBR fed with a synthetic soluble or domestic wastewater influent and the effluent of a full-scale HR-MBBR were used to evaluate the efficiency of separation processes adapted at bench-scale in jar-tests experiments. The processes studied were conventionnal settling, ballasted flocculation, dissolved air flotation and an innovative enhanced flotation process. Unlike conventional settling and dissolved air flotation, ballasted flocculation and enhanced flotation use a ballasted or flotation agent to accelerate the sludge settling or flotation rate. The original scientific hypothesis of this project is that the combination of enhanced flotation and natural based chemicals can meet a target total suspended solids (TSS) concentration of less or equal to 10 mg TSS/L in the clarified effluent of an HR-MBBR. The separation processes efficiencies were evaluated based on their TSS recoveries. Monitoring the chemical oxygen demand (COD) fractions allowed to better understand the underlying mechanisms of organic matter biotransformation and capture throughout the proposed treatment train. The concentration of solids expressed in TSS concentration in the MBBR effluent with a synthetic soluble influent was kept very low, from 27 to 61 mg TSS/L, which is about 2 to 9 times less than the expected concentration for an MBBR fed with domestic wastewater. Without the presence of particulate matter in the influent, the particulate matter in the MBBR effluent represented only the production of biomass detached by the shearing forces between the carriers. The TSS concentration and the efficiency of colloidal and soluble matter biotransformation into particulate matter increased with the MBBR hydraulic retention time. Wide volumetric particle size distributions ranging from 5 to 1000 mum in the lab-scale MBBR effluent were observed with a higher proportion of particles larger than 100 mum for a synthetic feed, and a higher proportion of small size particles of 30 mum for a domestic wastewater feed. The presence of lots of small size particles was attributed to unsettleable solids in the influent unchanged in the reactor. Despite the high proportion of large size particles for the MBBR with a synthetic feed, poor settleability of effluent solids was observed as static settling could only achieve TSS recoveries between 35 to 78%. Hence, coagulating agents were necessary to enhance the solids recovery. The combination of the innovative enhanced flotation process and unbiodegradable chemicals allowed to achieve TSS recovery efficiencies up to 97%. The enhanced flotation efficiency was reduced when using natural based chemicals, especially the natural based polymer which was not suited to treat waters with such high TSS concentrations. The hypothesis of the residual TSS concentration of 10 mg TSS/L was verified for half of the HR-MBBR operating conditions and the recovery efficiency did not seem to be influenced by the reactor hydraulic retention time, organic loading rate and temperature. More experiments are needed to confirm the effect of these parameters on TSS recovery efficiency. Although natural based chemicals reduced the coagulation and flocculation efficiency, they allowed a decrease in sludge production, which can represent a significant cost benefit. These chemicals resulted in an increase of 33 to 60% of the total COD of the MBBR effluent, compared to the unbiodegradable chemicals which only contributed about 2%. Natural based chemicals are recommended over unbiodegradable ones to promote the use of high biodegradability potential chemicals and to reduce the production of chemical sludge. However, to offset the increase of total COD, it may be required to add a treatment downstream to meet target secondary treatment COD concentration. Conventionnal settling and ballasted flocculation offered similar TSS recovery efficiencies to enhanced flottation (88% TSS recovery efficiency). The efficiency was reduced by 34% when using the dissolved air flotation process, much lower than the ones expected for such a separation process. The efficiency reduction was attributed to non-optimized and unadapted flotation lab-scale setups to treat medium strength wastewater. A similar innovative treatment train is currently being tested at pilot-scale in order to evaluate its carbon footprint and its potential to be eventually transposed to full-scale. Furthermore, the biodegradability and the biochemical methane production of the natural based chemicals are being determined. This project allowed to determine the potential of the innovative enhanced flotation process to recover the HR-MBBR solids when combined with natural based chemicals which are currently not often used in wastewater treatment for resource recovery.

Dynamics of nitrifying bacterial communities in the Seine river and estuary as affected by changes in the treatment of Paris wastewater : a comparison of 2001-2003 vs 2012-2013 periods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aissa Grouz, Najla; Billen, Gilles; Garnier, Josette; Mercier, Benjamin; Martinez, Anun

2014-05-01

The major branch of the Seine river from the confluence with the Marne river to the entrance of the estuary is deeply affected by the release of wastewater from the huge Paris agglomeration. In the first years of 2000, the largest part of the effluents were still discharged at the Seine-Aval (Achères) treatment plant with only a standard, low residence time, activated sludge treatment, thus releasing a high ammonium load. NH4 concentration as high as 7 mgN/l were frequently observed downstream from Paris agglomeration. Cébron et al. (2003, 2005) and Garnier et al. 2007 described in details how this massive reduced nitrogen concentrations triggered the growth of nitrifying bacteria, already present in the upstream Seine and Marne rivers, but also brought in large amount by the effluents of the wastewater treatment plant themselves. The decrease of ammonium concentration was slow, however, and was only completed 200 km downstream, in the upper estuarine area, where it causes a severe oxygen deficiency. Since 2007, important changes occurred in the treatment of nitrogen in the Parisian wastewater purification plants. In 2007, the Seine-Aval plant treated up to 90% of the ammonium contained in wastewater through nitrification, and 30% of the total supply of nitrates is treated by denitrification. These modifications have of course favorably affected the water quality of the Seine river: ammonium concentrations are reduced by a factor of 5 and the area of oxygen depletion in the upstream estuary is no more observed. However, nitrites, still released in the effluents, are a matter of concern for the water quality of the Seine downstream from Paris. Using measurements of potential microbial activities carried out with the same experimental protocol for the 2000-2003 and 2012-2013 periods, we here examine and model the dynamics of ammonium oxidizing and nitrite oxidizing microbial populations before and after the implementation of nitrification treatment of Paris wastewaters. We show that, although large amounts of ammonium oxidizing microbes are still released in large amounts with the treated effluents, they no longer grows up in the Seine water by lack of substrate in sufficiently high concentration. The same is true for nitrite oxidizing micro-organisms, which explains the slow disappearance of nitrites from the downstream sector of the Seine River. The maximum turbidity zone of the downstream estuary acts as a concentrator of particulate material. The concentration of nitrifying bacteria observed there is therefore a good indicator of the development of nitrifiers in the downstream sector of the Seine. Comparison of the levels observed in the 2000-2003 period and in 2012 fully confirms our interpretation. In August-September 2013, a dysfunction of the Seine-Aval treatment plant occurred, and large amounts of incompletely nitrified effluents were released, so that high ammonium concentrations were still observed in the river. Interestingly, the dynamics of nitrifying microbial populations recorded during this event, contrasted with that observed in the preceding months, and more closely resembled that observed ten year ago, before the implementation of the new treatment in the wastewater purification plant.

Valorization of Waste Obtained from Oil Extraction in Moringa Oleifera Seeds: Coagulation of Reactive Dyes in Textile Effluents.

PubMed

Vilaseca, Mercè; López-Grimau, Víctor; Gutiérrez-Bouzán, Carmen

2014-09-12

Moringa oleifera seeds contain about 40% of highly valued oil due to its wide range of applications, from nutritional issues to cosmetics or biodiesel production. The extraction of Moringa oil generates a waste (65%-75% of seeds weight) which contains a water soluble protein able to be used either in drinking water clarification or wastewater treatment. In this paper, the waste of Moringa oleifera extraction was used as coagulant to remove five reactive dyes from synthetic textile effluents. This waste constitutes a natural coagulant which was demonstrated to be effective for the treatment of industrial reactive dyestuff effluents, characterized by alkaline pH, high NaCl content and hydrolyzed dyes. The coagulation yield increased at high NaCl concentration, whereas the pH did not show any significant effect on dye removal. Moringa oleifera showed better results for dye removal than the conventional treatment of coagulation-flocculation with FeCl₃ and polyelectrolyte. Treated water can be reused in new dyeing processes of cotton fabrics with high quality results.

Valorization of Waste Obtained from Oil Extraction in Moringa Oleifera Seeds: Coagulation of Reactive Dyes in Textile Effluents

PubMed Central

Vilaseca, Mercè; López-Grimau, Víctor; Gutiérrez-Bouzán, Carmen

2014-01-01

Moringa oleifera seeds contain about 40% of highly valued oil due to its wide range of applications, from nutritional issues to cosmetics or biodiesel production. The extraction of Moringa oil generates a waste (65%–75% of seeds weight) which contains a water soluble protein able to be used either in drinking water clarification or wastewater treatment. In this paper, the waste of Moringa oleifera extraction was used as coagulant to remove five reactive dyes from synthetic textile effluents. This waste constitutes a natural coagulant which was demonstrated to be effective for the treatment of industrial reactive dyestuff effluents, characterized by alkaline pH, high NaCl content and hydrolyzed dyes. The coagulation yield increased at high NaCl concentration, whereas the pH did not show any significant effect on dye removal. Moringa oleifera showed better results for dye removal than the conventional treatment of coagulation-flocculation with FeCl3 and polyelectrolyte. Treated water can be reused in new dyeing processes of cotton fabrics with high quality results. PMID:28788199

Wastewater movement near four treatment and disposal sites in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cox, E.R.

1986-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National Park Service, studied the effects on nearby streams and lakes of treated wastewater effluents that percolate from sewage lagoons at four sites in Yellowstone National Park. A network of observation wells has been established near the sites, and water level and water quality data were collected from 1974 through 1982. Groundwater mounds occur under the lagoons as percolation of effluents occurs. The percolating effluents mix with groundwater and form plumes of water that contain chemical constituents from the effluents. These plumes move down the hydraulic gradient toward groundwater discharge areas. The directions of movement of percolating effluents have been determined by analyzing water samples from wells near the lagoons for specific conductance, chloride concentration, and nitrite plus nitrate concentration. Other constituents and properties also were determined. The percolating effluents are diluted by groundwater and have no discernible effects on the quality of water in the nearby streams and lakes. (USGS)

An Oil/Water disperser device for use in an oil content Monitor/Control system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kempel, F. D.

1985-07-01

This patent application discloses an oil content monitor/control unit system, including an oil/water disperser device, which is configured to automatically monitor and control processed effluent from an associated oil/water separator so that if the processed effluent exceeds predetermine in-port or at-sea oil concentration lmits, it is either recirculated to an associated oil/water separator via a ship's bilge for additional processing, or diverted to a holding tank for storage. On the other hand, if the oil concentration of the processed effluent is less than predetermine in-port or at-sea limits, it is discharged overboard. The oil/water disperser device is configured to break up any oil present in the processed effluent into uniform droplets for more accurate sensing of the oil present in the processed effluent into uniform droplets for more accurate sensing of the oil-in-water concentration level thereof. The oil/water disperser device has a flow-actuated variable orifice configured into a spring-loaded polyethylene plunger which provides the uniform distribution of oil droplets.

Experimental measurements of the ground cloud effluents and cloud growth for the May 20, 1975, Titan 3C launch at Air Force Eastern Test Range, Florida

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gregory, G. L.; Storey, R. W., Jr.

1977-01-01

The experiment included surface level and airborne in situ cloud measurements of the exhaust effluents from the Titan IIIC solid rocket boosters. Simultaneous visible spectrum photographic pictures of the ground cloud as well as infrared imaging of the cloud were obtained to study the cloud rise, growth, and direction of travel within the earth's surface mixing layer. The NASA multilayer diffusion model predictions of cloud growth, direction of travel, and expected surface level effluent concentrations were made prior to launch and after launch using measured meteorological conditions. Prelaunch predictions were used to position the effluent monitoring instruments, and the postlaunch predictions were compared with the measured data. Measurement results showed that surface level effluent values were low, often below the detection limits of the instrumentation. The maximum surface level hydrogen chloride concentration measured 50 parts per billion at about 8 km from the launch pad. The maximum observed in-cloud (airborne measurement) hydrogen chloride concentration was 7 per million.

Effects of wastewater effluent discharge and treatment facility upgrades on environmental and biological conditions of Indian Creek, Johnson County, Kansas, June 2004 through June 2013

USGS Publications Warehouse

Graham, Jennifer L.; Stone, Mandy L.; Rasmussen, Teresa J.; Foster, Guy M.; Poulton, Barry C.; Paxson, Chelsea R.; Harris, Theodore D.

2014-01-01

Indian Creek is one of the most urban drainage basins in Johnson County, Kansas, and environmental and biological conditions of the creek are affected by contaminants from point and other urban sources. The Johnson County Douglas L. Smith Middle Basin (hereafter referred to as the “Middle Basin”) and Tomahawk Creek Wastewater Treatment Facilities (WWTFs) discharge to Indian Creek. In summer 2010, upgrades were completed to increase capacity and include biological nutrient removal at the Middle Basin facility. There have been no recent infrastructure changes at the Tomahawk Creek facility; however, during 2009, chemically enhanced primary treatment was added to the treatment process for better process settling before disinfection and discharge with the added effect of enhanced phosphorus removal. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Johnson County Wastewater, assessed the effects of wastewater effluent on environmental and biological conditions of Indian Creek by comparing two upstream sites to four sites located downstream from the WWTFs using data collected during June 2004 through June 2013. Environmental conditions were evaluated using previously and newly collected discrete and continuous data and were compared with an assessment of biological community composition and ecosystem function along the upstream-downstream gradient. This study improves the understanding of the effects of wastewater effluent on stream-water and streambed sediment quality, biological community composition, and ecosystem function in urban areas. After the addition of biological nutrient removal to the Middle Basin WWTF in 2010, annual mean total nitrogen concentrations in effluent decreased by 46 percent, but still exceeded the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) wastewater effluent permit concentration goal of 8.0 milligrams per liter (mg/L); however, the NPDES wastewater effluent permit total phosphorus concentration goal of 1.5 mg/L or less was achieved at the Middle Basin WWTF. At the Tomahawk Creek WWTF, after the addition of chemically enhanced primary treatment in 2009, effluent discharges also had total phosphorus concentrations below 1.5 mg/L. After the addition of biological nutrient removal, annual total nitrogen and phosphorus loads from the Middle Basin WWTF decreased by 42 and 54 percent, respectively, even though effluent volume increased by 11 percent. Annual total phosphorus loads from the Tomahawk Creek WWTF after the addition of chemically enhanced primary treatment decreased by 54 percent despite a 33-percent increase in effluent volume. Total nitrogen and phosphorus from the WWTFs contributed between 30 and nearly 100 percent to annual nutrient loads in Indian Creek depending on streamflow conditions. In-stream total nitrogen primarily came from wastewater effluent except during years with the highest streamflows. Most of the in-stream total phosphorus typically came from effluent during dry years and from other urban sources during wet years. During 2010 through 2013, annual mean discharge from the Middle Basin WWTF was about 75 percent of permitted design capacity. Annual nutrient loads likely will increase when the facility is operated at permitted design capacity; however, estimated maximum annual nutrient loads from the Middle Basin WWTF were 27 to 38 percent lower than before capacity upgrades and the addition of biological nutrient removal to treatment processes. Thus, the addition of biological nutrient removal to the Middle Basin wastewater treatment process should reduce overall nutrient loads from the facility even when the facility is operated at permitted design capacity. The effects of wastewater effluent on the water quality of Indian Creek were most evident during below-normal and normal streamflows (about 75 percent of the time) when wastewater effluent represented about 24 percent or more of total streamflow. Wastewater effluent had the most substantial effect on nutrient concentrations in Indian Creek. Total and inorganic nutrient concentrations at the downstream sites during below-normal and normal streamflows were 10 to 100 times higher than at the upstream sites, even after changes in treatment practices at the WWTFs. Median total phosphorus concentrations during below-normal and normal streamflows at a downstream site were 43 percent lower following improvements in wastewater treatment processes. Similar decreases in total nitrogen were not observed, likely because total nitrogen concentrations only decreased in Middle Basin effluent and wastewater contributed a higher percentage to streamflows when nutrient samples were collected during the after-upgrade period. The wastewater effluent discharges to Indian Creek caused changes in stream-water quality that may affect biological community structure and ecosystem processes, including higher concentrations of bioavailable nutrients (nitrate and orthophosphorus) and warmer water temperatures during winter months. Other urban sources of contaminants also caused changes in stream-water quality that may affect biological community structure and ecosystem processes, including higher turbidities downstream from construction areas and higher specific conductance and chloride concentrations during winter months. Chloride concentrations exceeded acute and chronic exposure criteria at all Indian Creek study sites, regardless of wastewater influence, for weeks or months during winter. Streambed sediment chemistry was affected by wastewater (elevated nutrient and organic wastewater-indicator compound concentrations) and other contaminants from urban sources (elevated polyaromatic hydrocarbon concentrations). Overall habitat conditions were suboptimal or marginal at all sites; general decline in habitat conditions along the upstream-downstream gradient likely was caused by the cumulative effects of urbanization with increasing drainage basin size. Wastewater effluent likely affected algal periphyton biomass and community composition, primary production, and community respiration in Indian Creek. Functional stream health, evaluated using a preliminary framework based on primary production and community respiration, was mildly or severely impaired at most downstream sites relative to an urban upstream Indian Creek site. The mechanistic cause of the changes in these biological variables are unclear, though elevated nutrient concentrations were positively correlated with algal biomass, primary production, and community respiration. Macroinvertebrate communities indicated impairment at all sites, and Kansas Department of Health and Environment aquatic life support scores indicated conditions nonsupporting of aquatic life, regardless of wastewater influences. Urban influences, other than wastewater effluent discharge, likely control macroinvertebrate community structure in Indian Creek. Changes in treatment processes at the Middle Basin and Tomahawk Creek WWTFs improved wastewater effluent quality and decreased nutrient loads, but wastewater effluent discharges still had negative effects on the environmental and biological conditions at downstream Indian Creek sites. Wastewater effluent discharge into Indian Creek likely contributed to changes in measures of ecosystem structure (streamflow, water and streambed-sediment chemistry, algal biomass, and algal periphyton community composition) and function (primary production and community respiration) along the upstream-downstream gradient. Wastewater effluent discharges maintained streamflows and increased nutrient concentrations, algal biomass, primary production, and community respiration at the downstream sites. Functional stream health was severely impaired downstream from the Middle Basin WWTF and mildly impaired downstream from the Tomahawk WWTF relative to the urban upstream site. As distance from the Middle Basin WWTF increased, nutrient concentrations, algal biomass, primary production, and community respiration decreased, and functional stream health was no longer impaired 9.5 kilometers downstream from the discharge relative to the urban upstream site. Therefore, although wastewater effluent caused persistent changes in environmental and biological conditions and functional stream health at sites located immediately downstream from WWTF effluent discharges, some recovery to conditions more similar to the urban upstream site occurred within a relatively short distance.

Levels of synthetic musk compounds in municipal wastewater for potential estimation of biota exposure in receiving waters.

PubMed

Osemwengie, Lantis I; Gerstenberger, Shawn L

2004-06-01

We analyzed water samples from the confluence of three municipal sewage treatment effluent streams, surface water, and whole carp (Cyprinus carpio) for synthetic musks for a period of 7-12 months. The lipid content of each fish was determined and compared with the concentration of musks in the whole fish tissue. Enhanced methods were used for water sampling and musk extraction. The data presented here provide insight as to the relationship between concentrations of synthetic musks in the municipal effluent and associated biota. This study confirmed the presence of polycyclic and nitro musk compounds in sewage effluent, Lake Mead water, and carp. The concentrations were found to be considerably lower than previous studies conducted in other countries. This study also provides data for polycyclic and nitro musk compounds, as well as some of the nitro musk metabolites in sewage treatment plant effluent, lake water, and carp.

Denitrification of nitrate-contaminated groundwater using a simple immobilized activated sludge bioreactor.

PubMed

Ye, Zhengfang; Wang, Feng; Bi, Haitao; Wang, Zhongyou; Liu, Guo-hua

2012-01-01

A simple anaerobic-activated sludge system, in which microorganisms are immobilized by a novel functional carrier, was used for removing nitrate in groundwater. The operating conditions, including hydraulic retention time (HRT), C/N ratio, temperature and NO(3)(-)-N loading concentration were investigated. The NO(3)(-)-N concentration, residual chemical oxygen demand (COD) and nitrite accumulation were used as indicators to assess the water quality of the effluent. The anaerobic biomass loading capacity in the carrier was 12.8 g/L and the denitrifying Pseudomonas sp. and Rhodocyclaceae bacterium were dominant among the immobilized microorganisms in the anaerobic-activated sludge. Under operating conditions of HRT= 1.5 h, C/N= 2-3 and T= 16.8-20 °C, the removal efficiency of NO(3)(-)-N exceeded 93%, corresponding to a relatively high denitrification rate of 0.73 kg NO(3)(-)-N m(-3) d(-1), when the NO(3)(-)-N loading concentration was 50 mg/L. The NO(3)(-)-N concentration of the effluent always met regulatory criteria for drinking water (<10 mg/L) in the main developed and developing countries. The effluent COD was also below 10 mg/L. Although some nitrite accumulated (0-1.77 mg/L) during the operating period, it can be decreased through adjusting the operating pH and HRT. The immobilized activated sludge system may be useful for the removal of nitrate from groundwater.

Health Effects in Fish of Long-Term Exposure to Effluents from Wastewater Treatment Works

PubMed Central

Liney, Katherine E.; Hagger, Josephine A.; Tyler, Charles R.; Depledge, Michael H.; Galloway, Tamara S.; Jobling, Susan

2006-01-01

Concern has been raised in recent years that exposure to wastewater treatment effluents containing estrogenic chemicals can disrupt the endocrine functioning of riverine fish and cause permanent alterations in the structure and function of the reproductive system. Reproductive disorders may not necessarily arise as a result of estrogenic effects alone, and there is a need for a better understanding of the relative importance of endocrine disruption in relation to other forms of toxicity. Here, the integrated health effects of long-term effluent exposure are reported (reproductive, endocrine, immune, genotoxic, nephrotoxic). Early life-stage roach, Rutilus rutilus, were exposed for 300 days to treated wastewater effluent at concentrations of 0, 15.2, 34.8, and 78.7% (with dechlorinated tap water as diluent). Concentrations of treated effluents that induced feminization of male roach, measured as vitellogenin induction and histological alteration to gonads, also caused statistically significant alterations in kidney development (tubule diameter), modulated immune function (differential cell count, total number of thrombocytes), and caused genotoxic damage (micronucleus induction and single-strand breaks in gill and blood cells). Genotoxic and immunotoxic effects occurred at concentrations of wastewater effluent lower than those required to induce recognizable changes in the structure and function of the reproductive endocrine system. These findings emphasize the need for multiple biological end points in tests that assess the potential health effects of wastewater effluents. They also suggest that for some effluents, genotoxic and immune end points may be more sensitive than estrogenic (endocrine-mediated) end points as indicators of exposure in fish. PMID:16818251

Bioconcentration factors (BCF) of silver in wild Agaricus campestris

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Falandysz, J.; Danisiewicz, D.

Silver is an element naturally occurring in small concentrations in different environmental sites. However, many anthropogenic sources of silver led to contamination of this element in soil surfaces, pastures, and coastal marine areas in different parts of the world. Estimates are that 40% of the 1.15x10{sup 4}t of silver produced annually worldwide, will escape into the environment. Due to municipal waste discharge and/or industrial effluents with high silver concentrations, 100 x above the background level have been reported in invertebrate species from polluted marine areas. The meta-stabile radioisotope, {sup 110m}Ag, is a main component of the liquid effluents from nuclearmore » facilities under normal operating conditions. The presence of {sup 111}Ag and {sup 110m}Ag also has been widely found throughout Europe in the 1986 Chernobyl fallout. Silver ions are environmentally harmful. High toxic effects have been observed at low concentrations, especially in aquatic species. Species of lower fungi as well as the mushroom Agaricus bisporus are know to bioaccumulate high concentrations of silver when grown on an artificially enriched substrate. This study looks at the relationship between the silver content of soil and bioconcentration potential of wild Agaricus campestris from sites under different use and with different concentrations of heavy metals. 28 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs.« less

Transport of bacteria in porous media; 1: An experimental investigation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sarkar, A.K.; Georgiou, G.; Sharma, M.M.

1994-08-05

The convective transport of concentrated suspensions of bacteria in porous media is of interest for several processes such as microbial enhanced oil recovery and in situ bioremediation. The parameters which affect the transport of the bacterium Bacillus licheniformis JF-2, a candidate microorganism for microbial enhanced oil recovery, were investigated experimentally in sandpacks. Bacteria retention and permeability reduction occurred primarily in the first few centimeters upon entering the porous medium. In downstream sections of the sandpack, the permeability reduction was low, even in cases in which high cell concentrations were detected in the effluent. The effects of (1) addition of amore » dispersant, (2) linear velocity of injection, (3) cell concentration, (4) salinity, (5) temperature, and (6) the presence of a residual oleic phase were determined experimentally. A lower reduction in permeability and a higher effluent bacterial concentration were obtained in the presence of dispersant, high injection velocities, low salinities, and at a higher temperature. Macroscopic measurements at different linear velocities and in the presence or absence of dispersants suggest that the formation of reversible microaggregates and multiparticle hydrodynamic exclusion may be the primary mechanisms for bacterial retention and permeability reduction.« less

Concentrations of prioritized pharmaceuticals in effluents from 50 large wastewater treatment plants in the US and implications for risk estimation

EPA Science Inventory

We measured the concentrations of 56 active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and seven metabolites, including 50 prioritized APIs, in 24-hour composite effluent samples collected from 50 very large municipal wastewater treatment plants across the US. Hydrochlorothiazide was foun...

Removal Efficiency of Faecal Indicator Organisms, Nutrients and Heavy Metals from a Peri-Urban Wastewater Treatment Plant in Thohoyandou, Limpopo Province, South Africa.

PubMed

Edokpayi, Joshua N; Odiyo, John O; Msagati, Titus A M; Popoola, Elizabeth O

2015-06-29

Wastewater treatment facilities are known sources of fresh water pollution. This study was carried out from January to June 2014 to assess the reduction efficiency of some selected contaminants in the Thohoyandou wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The pH and electrical conductivity of the effluent fell within the South African wastewater discharge guidelines. The WWTP showed the chemical oxygen demand reduction efficiency required by the Department of Water Affairs (DWA) guidelines of 75 mg/L for the months of April and June, although it was below this standard in March and May. Free chlorine concentration varied between 0.26-0.96 mg/L and exceeded the DWA guideline value of 0.25 mg/L. The concentration of nitrate-nitrogen (NO3(-) N) in the influent and effluent varied between 0.499-2.31 mg/L and 7.545-19.413 mg/L, respectively. The concentration of NO3- N in the effluent complied with DWA effluent discharge standard of 15 mg/L, except in April and May. Phosphate concentrations in the influent and effluent were in the ranges of 0.552-42.646 mg/L and 1.572-32.554 mg/L, respectively. The WWTP showed reduction efficiencies of E. coli and Enterococci during some sampling periods but the level found in the effluent exceeded the recommended guideline value of 1000 cfu/100 mL for faecal indicator organisms in wastewater effluents. Consistent removal efficiencies were observed for Al (32-74%), Fe (7-32%) and Zn (24-94%) in most of the sampling months. In conclusion, the Thohoyandou WWTP is inefficient in treating wastewater to the acceptable quality before discharge.

Removal Efficiency of Faecal Indicator Organisms, Nutrients and Heavy Metals from a Peri-Urban Wastewater Treatment Plant in Thohoyandou, Limpopo Province, South Africa

PubMed Central

Edokpayi, Joshua N.; Odiyo, John O.; Msagati, Titus A. M.; Popoola, Elizabeth O.

2015-01-01

Wastewater treatment facilities are known sources of fresh water pollution. This study was carried out from January to June 2014 to assess the reduction efficiency of some selected contaminants in the Thohoyandou wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The pH and electrical conductivity of the effluent fell within the South African wastewater discharge guidelines. The WWTP showed the chemical oxygen demand reduction efficiency required by the Department of Water Affairs (DWA) guidelines of 75 mg/L for the months of April and June, although it was below this standard in March and May. Free chlorine concentration varied between 0.26–0.96 mg/L and exceeded the DWA guideline value of 0.25 mg/L. The concentration of nitrate-nitrogen (NO3− N) in the influent and effluent varied between 0.499–2.31 mg/L and 7.545–19.413 mg/L, respectively. The concentration of NO3− N in the effluent complied with DWA effluent discharge standard of 15 mg/L, except in April and May. Phosphate concentrations in the influent and effluent were in the ranges of 0.552–42.646 mg/L and 1.572–32.554 mg/L, respectively. The WWTP showed reduction efficiencies of E. coli and Enterococci during some sampling periods but the level found in the effluent exceeded the recommended guideline value of 1000 cfu/100 mL for faecal indicator organisms in wastewater effluents. Consistent removal efficiencies were observed for Al (32–74%), Fe (7–32%) and Zn (24–94%) in most of the sampling months. In conclusion, the Thohoyandou WWTP is inefficient in treating wastewater to the acceptable quality before discharge. PMID:26132481

Characterizing Field Biodegradation of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in Groundwater with Active Reclaimed Water Recharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCraven, S.; Zhou, Q.; Garcia, J.; Gasca, M.; Johnson, T.

2007-12-01

N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is an emerging contaminant in groundwater, because of its aqueous miscibility, exceptional animal toxicity, and human carcinogenicity. NDMA detections in groundwater have been tracked to either decomposition of unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) used in rocket fuel facilities or chlorine disinfection in wastewater reclamation plants. Laboratory experiments on both unsaturated and saturated soil samples have demonstrated that NDMA can be biodegraded by microbial activity, under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. However, very limited direct evidence for its biodegradation has been found from the field in saturated groundwater. Our research aimed to evaluate photolysis and biodegradation of NDMA occurring along the full travel path - from wastewater reclamation plant effluent, through rivers and spreading grounds, to groundwater. For this evaluation, we established an extensive monitoring network to characterize NDMA concentrations at effluent discharge points, surface water stations, and groundwater monitoring and production wells, during the operation of the Montebello Forebay Groundwater Recharge facilities in Los Angeles County, California. Field monitoring for NDMA has been conducted for more than six years, including 32 months of relatively lower NDMA concentrations in effluent, 43 months of elevated NDMA effluent concentrations, and 7 months with significantly reduced NDMA effluent concentrations. The NDMA effluent concentration increase and significant concentration decrease were caused by changes in treatment processes. The NDMA sampling data imply that significant biodegradation occurred in groundwater, accounting for a 90% mass reduction of NDMA over the six-year monitoring period. In addition, the occurrence of a discrete well monitored effluent release during the study period allowed critical analysis of the fate of NDMA in a well- characterized, localized groundwater flow subsystem. The data indicate that 80% of the recharged NDMA mass was biodegraded in groundwater with the remaining mass pumped out by extraction wells. To reproduce the observation data, a groundwater flow and transport model was developed and calibrated against groundwater elevation and NDMA concentration data. The calibrated half-life of NDMA in groundwater is 69 days, which is consistent with the values obtained through laboratory incubation using soil samples from the Montebello Forebay Spreading Grounds. Given the photolysis of NDMA in surface water and biodegradation in groundwater observed during this study, reclaimed wastewater with limited NDMA concentrations can be safely used for groundwater recharge under the study area conditions.

The fate of wastewater-derived NDMA precursors in the aquatic environment.

PubMed

Pehlivanoglu-Mantas, Elif; Sedlak, David L

2006-03-01

To assess the stability of precursors of the chloramine disinfection byproduct N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) under conditions expected in effluent-dominated surface waters, effluent samples from four municipal wastewater treatment plants were subjected to chlorination and chloramination followed by incubation in the presence of inocula derived from activated sludge. Samples subjected to free chlorine disinfection showed lower initial concentrations of NDMA precursors than those that were not chlorinated or were disinfected with pre-formed chloramines. For chloraminated and control (unchlorinated) treatments, the concentration of NDMA precursors decreased by an average of 24% over the 30-day incubation in samples from three of the four facilities. At the fourth facility, where samples were collected on three different days, NDMA precursor concentrations decreased by approximately 80% in one sample and decreased by less than 20% in the other two samples. In contrast to the low reactivity of the NDMA precursors, NDMA disappeared within 30 days under the conditions employed in these experiments. These results and measurements made in an effluent-dominated river suggest that although NDMA may be removed after wastewater effluent is discharged, wastewater-derived NDMA precursors could persist long enough to form significant concentrations of NDMA in drinking water treatment plants that use water originating from sources that are subjected to wastewater effluent discharges.

Treatability study of the effluent containing reactive blue 21 dye by ozonation and the mass transfer study of ozone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Velpula, Priyadarshini; Ghuge, Santosh; Saroha, Anil K.

2018-04-01

Ozonation is a chemical treatment process in which ozone reacts with the pollutants present in the effluent by infusion of ozone into the effluent. This study includes the effect of various parameters such as inlet ozone dose, pH of solution and initial concentration of dye on decolorization of dye in terms CRE. The maximum CRE of 98.62% with the reaction rate constant of 0.26 min-1 is achieved in 18 minutes of reaction time at inlet ozone dose of 11.5 g/m3, solution pH of 11 and 30 mg/L of initial concentration of dye. The presence of radical scavenger (Tertiary Butyl Alcohol) suppressed the CRE from 98.62% to 95.4% at high pH values indicates that the indirect mechanism dominates due to the presence of hydroxyl radicals which are formed by the decomposition of ozone. The diffusive and convective mass transfer coefficients of ozone are calculated as 1.78 × 10-5 cm2/sec and 0.075 min-1. It is observed that the fraction of resistance offered by liquid is very much high compared to gas phase indicates that the ozonation is a liquid phase mass transfer controlled operation.

IDENTIFYING COMPOUNDS DESPITE CHROMATOGRAPHY LIMITATIONS: ORGANOPHOSPHATES IN TREATED SEWAGE

EPA Science Inventory

Highly concentrated extracts of sewage treatment plant (STP) effluents contain detectable
levels of dozens of compounds resulting from human activities. Recent concern over use and
disposal of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPS) (1) has stimulated interest ...

Detoxification of kraft pulp ECF bleaching effluents by catalytic hydrotreatment.

PubMed

Calvo, L; Gilarranz, M A; Casas, J A; Mohedano, A F; Rodríguez, J J

2007-02-01

Two different effluents from the D(1) and E(1) stages of the ECF bleaching of Eucalyptus globulus kraft pulp were treated by catalytic hydrogenation in a trickle bed reactor using commercial and homemade Pd/AC catalysts. The reactor was fed with the bleaching effluent and a H(2)/N(2) gas stream. The variables studied were space-time (1.4-5g(cat)min/mL), gas to liquid flow ratio (286-1000vol.), gas feed concentration (H(2):N(2), 1:1-1:7.3vol.), temperature (25-100 degrees C) and pressure (1-11bar). Hydrotreatment performance was evaluated in terms of ecotoxicity, adsorbable organic halogen (AOX), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD(5)) and colour removal. In all the runs, the ecotoxicity of the effluents decreased as a result of the treatment, achieving reductions that ranged from 70% to 98%. Simultaneously to the reduction of toxicity, the hydrotreatment led to a decrease of the colour of the effluents, being the decrease significantly higher in the case of E(1) effluent. The AOX content was reduced by 85% and 23% for E(1) and D(1) effluents, respectively. In the case of D(1) effluent the removal of ecotoxicity was significantly higher than that of AOX, which indicates that much of the toxicity of the effluent must be associated to non-chlorinated organics. In spite of the important reduction of ecotoxicity, the biodegradability of the effluents only increased slightly. The homemade catalysts, prepared from activated carbons with a high external or non-microporous surface area and mesopore volume and a convenient surface chemistry showed a higher efficiency than the commercial one.

An analytical analysis of the dispersion predictions for effluents from the Saturn 5 and Scout-Algol 3 rocket exhausts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stephens, J. B.; Susko, M.; Kaufman, J. W.; Hill, C. K.

1973-01-01

Predictions of the spatial concentration mapping of the potentially toxic constituents of the exhaust effluents from a launch of a Saturn 5 and of a Scout-Algol 3 vehicle utilizing the NASA/MSFC Multilayer Diffusion Program are provided. In the case of the Saturn 5, special attention was given to the concentration fields of carbon monoxide with a correlation of carbon dioxide concentrations. The Scout-Algol 3 provided an example of the centerline concentrations of hydrogen chloride, carbon monoxide, and alumina under typical meteorological conditions. While these results define the specific environmental impact of these two launches under the meteorological conditions existing during launches, they also provide a basis for the empirical monitoring of the constituents of the exhaust effluents of these vehicles.

Reduction on the anaerobic biological activity inhibition caused by heavy metals and sulphates in effluents through chemical precipitation with soda and lime.

PubMed

Alves, L de Carvalho; Cammarota, M C; De França, F P

2006-12-01

The School of Chemistry Environmental Technology Laboratory generates 43.4 1 of effluent with low pH (0.7) and high contents of COD (1908 mgO2 l(-1)), phenol (132.1 mg l(-1)), sulfate (36700 mg l(-1)) and heavy metals (28.2 mg Hg l(-1); 82.1 mg Cr(total) l(-1); 30.8 mg Cu l(-1); 57.4 mg Fe(total) l(-1); 16.2 mg Al l(-1)) weekly. These data show that this effluent presents high toxicity for biological treatment, with a physical-chemical step being necessary before a biological step. Preliminary studies showed that the most toxic constituents of the effluent were sulfate, phenol and total chromium. In this work, a chemical precipitation step with sodium hydroxide or lime was evaluated for the toxicity reduction on anaerobic microbial consortium. These experiments were carried out with increasing concentrations of alkalis in the effluent in order to obtain pH initial values of 8-12. Similar results were obtained for COD (15-28%), turbidity (95-98%), phenol (13-24%) and total chromium (99.8-99.9%) removals in each condition studied with soda or lime. Sulfate was only removed by precipitation with lime, obtaining reductions from 84 to 88%. The toxicity on the anaerobic sludge was studied employing specific methanogenic activity (SMA) analysis of raw and treated effluent (after chemical precipitation step). The SMA experiments showed that chemical precipitation at pH 8 reduces the toxic effect of the effluent on anaerobic microbial consortium three times (with soda) and thirteen times (with lime). These results indicate that precipitation with lime is more efficient at toxicity removal, however the produced sludge volume is around two times higher than that produced with soda.

Biodegradation of Methylene Blue Dye by Sequential Treatment Using Anaerobic Hybrid Reactor and Submerged Aerobic Fixed Film Bioreactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farooqi, Izharul H.; Basheer, Farrukh; Tiwari, Pradeepika

2017-12-01

Laboratory scale experiments were carried out to access the feasibility of sequential anaerobic/aerobic biological treatment for the biodegradation of Methylene Blue (MB) dye. Anaerobic studies were performed using anaerobic hybrid reactor (consisting of UASB and Anaerobic filter) whereas submerged aerobic fixed film reactor was used as aerobic reactor. Degradation of MB dye was attempted using neutralized acetic acid (1000 mg/L) as co-substrate. MB dye concentration was stepwise increased from 10 to 70 mg/L after reaching steady state in each dye concentration. Such a gradual increase in the dye concentration helps in the proper acclimatization of the sludge to dyes thereby avoiding the possible inhibitory effects to biological activities at high dye concentrations. The overall treatment efficiency of MB through sequential anaerobic-aerobic reactor operation was 90% at maximum attempted dye concentration of 70 mg/L. The effluent from anaerobic reactor was analysed for intermediate biodegradation products through HPLC. It was observed that catechol, quinone, amino pyrine, 1,4 diamino benzene were present. However they were absent in final effluent.

Monitoring and assessment of mercury pollution in the vicinity of a chloralkali plant. III. Concentration and genotoxicity of mercury in the industrial effluent and contaminated water of Rushikulya estuary, India.

PubMed

Panda, K K; Lenka, M; Panda, B B

1992-01-01

Aquatic mercury pollution of the Rushikulya estuary in the vicinity of the chloralkali plant at Ganjam, India was monitored over a period from October 1987 to May 1989. The concentrations of aquatic mercury in the water samples taken from the effluent channel and from different sites along the course of the estuary covering a distance of 2 km were periodically recorded and ranged from 0 to 0.5 mg/l. The bioconcentration and genotoxicity of aquatic mercury in the samples were assessed by the Allium micronucleus (MNC) assay. The frequency of cells with MNC was highly correlated not only with bioconcentrated mercury (root mercury) but also with the levels of aquatic mercury. The threshold assessment values such as effective concentration fifty (EC50) for root growth, lowest effective concentration tested (LECT), and highest ineffective concentration tested (HICT) for induction of MNC in Allium MNC assay for the present aquatic industrial mercury were determined to be 0.14, 0.06 and 0.02 mg/l, respectively.

40 CFR 440.63 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.22 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best practicable control technology... application of the best practicable control technology currently available (BPT). Except as provided in... application of the best practicable control technology currently available (BPT). The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.23 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). The concentration of pollutants...

40 CFR 440.53 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.22 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best practicable control technology... application of the best practicable control technology currently available (BPT). Except as provided in... application of the best practicable control technology currently available (BPT). The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.23 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). The concentration of pollutants...

40 CFR 440.43 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.53 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.53 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.63 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.43 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.63 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.13 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.52 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... technology currently available (BPT): (a) The concentration of pollutants discharged in mine drainage from... technology currently available (BPT). 440.52 Section 440.52 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best practicable control technology...

40 CFR 440.13 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.23 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). The concentration of pollutants...

40 CFR 440.113 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.113 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.23 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). The concentration of pollutants...

40 CFR 440.43 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.13 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.52 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... technology currently available (BPT): (a) The concentration of pollutants discharged in mine drainage from... technology currently available (BPT). 440.52 Section 440.52 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best practicable control technology...

40 CFR 440.52 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... technology currently available (BPT): (a) The concentration of pollutants discharged in mine drainage from... technology currently available (BPT). 440.52 Section 440.52 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best practicable control technology...

40 CFR 440.63 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.53 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) The concentration of...

Seasonal occurrence, removal and risk assessment of 10 pharmaceuticals in 2 sewage treatment plants of Guangdong, China.

PubMed

Tang, Ying; Guo, Lu-Lu; Hong, Cheng-Yang; Bing, Yong-Xin; Xu, Zhen-Cheng

2017-11-10

A long-term investigation, which covered 10 sampling campaigns over 3 years, was performed to evaluate the occurrence, removal and risk of 10 pharmaceuticals in 2 full-scale sewage treatment plants (STPs) in Guangdong, South China. Target pharmaceuticals except for clofibrate and ibuprofen were detected in every sample, with mean concentrations of 12.5-685.6 and 7.9-130.3 ng/L in the influent and effluent, respectively. Salicylic acid was the most abundant compound in both the influents and effluents in the two STPs. For most pharmaceuticals, the seasonal variation in the influent showed the highest concentrations in January and lowest concentrations in July due to their consumption and rainfall. Ibuprofen and fenoprofen presented high removal rates (>90%) and some of the targets such as gemfibrozil, mefenamic acid, tolfenamic acid and diclofenac were detectable with significantly higher mass loads in effluents than in influents. Studies of the five efficiently eliminated pharmaceuticals show that the primary treatment and secondary treatment contributed to most pharmaceutical removal, the anoxic tank made a negligible contribution to their elimination. According to the results produced from the calculation of the risk quotient, only diclofenac might pose a risk to the aquatic environment.

Investigating nitrate dynamics in a fine-textured soil affected by feedlot effluents.

PubMed

Veizaga, E A; Rodríguez, L; Ocampo, C J

2016-10-01

Feedlots concentrate large volumes of manure and effluents that contain high concentrations of nitrate, among other constituents. If not managed properly, pen surfaces run-off and lagoons overflows may spread those effluents to surrounding land, infiltrating into the soil. Soil nitrate mobilization and distribution are of great concern due to its potential migration towards groundwater resources. This work aimed at evaluating the migration of nitrate originated on feedlots effluents in a fine-textured soil under field conditions. Soil water constituents were measured during a three-year period at three distinct locations adjacent to feedlot retention lagoons representing different degrees of exposure to water flow and manure accumulation. A simple statistical analysis was undertaken to identify patterns of observed nitrate and chloride concentrations and electrical conductivity and their differences with depth. HYDRUS-1D was used to simulate water flow and solute transport of Cl - , NO 4 + N, NO 3 - N and electrical conductivity to complement field data interpretation. Results indicated that patterns of NO 3 - N concentrations were not only notoriously different from electrical conductivity and Cl - but also ranges and distribution with depth differed among locations. A combination of dilution, transport, reactions such as nitrification/denitrification and vegetation water and solute uptake took place at each plots denoting the complexity of soil-solution behavior under extreme polluting conditions. Simulations using the concept of single porosity-mobile/immobile water (SP-MIM) managed structural controls and correctly simulated - all species concentrations under field data constrains. The opposite was true for the other two locations experiencing near-saturation conditions, absence of vegetation and frequent manure accumulation and runoff from feedlot lagoons. Although the results are site specific, findings are relevant to advance the understanding of NO 3 - N dynamics resulting from FL operations under heavy soils. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Geo-Accumulation Indices of Heavy Metals in Soil and Groundwater of Kanpur, India Under Long Term Irrigation of Tannery Effluent.

PubMed

Dotaniya, M L; Meena, V D; Rajendiran, S; Coumar, M Vassanda; Saha, J K; Kundu, S; Patra, A K

2017-05-01

Soil and groundwater from long-term (>50 years) tannery effluent irrigated areas of Kanpur were analyzed and significant buildup of heavy metals such as Cr, Ni, Cd, Pb, Zn, and As in the range of 252-972, 23-30, 2.3-14.1, 23.7-58.8, 138-338 and 6.8-11 mg kg -1 , respectively in soil was found. Few groundwater samples in the effluent irrigated areas also exhibited high Cr concentration above the permissible limit of United States Environmental Protection Agency. The tannery effluents contained 1.53-57.3 ppm Cr, 0-0.12 ppm Ni, 0-0.02 ppm Cd, 0-0.07 ppm Pb, 0-0.48 ppm Zn and 0-0.03 ppm As. The Geo-accumulation index (I geo ) revealed that soil samples were unpolluted to moderately polluted with Cu, Ni, Zn, Pb and As; moderately polluted in case of Cd; and heavily to extremely polluted by Cr.

Oil content Monitor/Control system and method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmitt, R. F.; Gavin, J. A.; Kempel, F. D.; Waltrick, C. N.

1985-07-01

This patent application discloses an oil content monitor/control unit system which is configured to automatically monitor and control processed effluent from an associated oil/water separator so that if the processed effluent exceeds predetermined in-port or at-sea oil concentration limits, it is either recirculated to an associated oil/water separator via a ship's bilge for additional processing, or diverted to a holding tank for storage. On the other hand, if the oil concentration of the processed effluent is less than determined in-port or at-sea limits, it is discharged overboard.

Distribution, mass load and environmental impact of multiple-class pharmaceuticals in conventional and upgraded municipal wastewater treatment plants in East China.

PubMed

Yuan, Xiangjuan; Qiang, Zhimin; Ben, Weiwei; Zhu, Bing; Qu, Jiuhui

2015-03-01

The occurrence, fate and environmental impact of 30 pharmaceuticals including sulfonamides, fluoroquinolones, tetracyclines, macrolides, dihydrofolate reductase inhibitors, β-blockers, antiepileptics, lipid regulators, and stimulants were studied in two municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) located in Wuxi City, East China. A total of 23 pharmaceuticals were detected in wastewater samples, with a maximum concentration of 16.1 μg L(-1) (caffeine) in the influent and 615.5 ng L(-1) (azithromycin) in the effluent; 19 pharmaceuticals were detected in sludge samples at concentrations up to 12.13 mg kg(-1), with ofloxacin, azithromycin and norfloxacin being the predominant species. Mass balance analysis showed that biodegradation primarily accounted for the removal of sulfonamides, most of the macrolides, and other miscellaneous pharmaceuticals, while adsorption onto the sludge was the primary removal pathway for fluoroquinolones, tetracylines, and azithromycin during biological treatment. The total mass loads of target pharmaceuticals per capita in the two WWTPs were in the ranges of 2681.8-4333.3, 248.0-416.6 and 214.6-374.5 μg per day per inhabitant in the influent, effluent and dewatered sludge, respectively. The upgraded Plant A adopting the combined anaerobic/anoxic/oxic and moving bed biofilm process exhibited a much higher removal of target pharmaceuticals than the conventional Plant B adopting the C-Orbal oxidation ditch process. The concentration levels of sulfamethoxazole, ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin and clarithromycin in the effluent, ofloxacin in the sludge, and the mixture of all target pharmaceuticals in both effluent and sludge posed a high risk to algae in aquatic environments.

Evaluation of the Green Microalga Monoraphidium sp. Dek19 Growth Utilizing Ethanol Plant Side Streams and Potential for Biofuel Production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colson, David Michael

This research was conducted to evaluate the potential for growth of Monoraphidium sp. Dek19 using side streams from an ethanol plant for culture medium. Additionally, the potential of using enzymes to break down the cell wall material to release fermentable sugars and oil was examined. The ethanol streams selected were methanator influent, methanator effluent, and thin stillage. This species of microalgae has been previously studied and found to have the ability to grow in and remediate the effluent water from the DeKalb Sanitary District (DSD). The Monoraphidium sp. Dek19 was grown in various concentrations of the ethanol plant side streams concurrently with algae cultures grown in the DSD effluent. The algae cultures were grown in 250ml flasks to determine the optimal concentrations of the ethanol streams. The concentrations with the growth rate and cell counts closest to or higher than the DSD effluents were selected for further examination. These concentrations were repeated to evaluate the most optimal growth conditions using the ethanol streams in comparison to the DSD effluent grown algae. The selected growth condition for the ethanol streams was determined to be using the methanator effluent as the base water component with the thin stillage added to a 2% concentration. The 2% concentration showed an average increase in cell count to be 8.49% higher than the control cell count. The methanator influent was discarded as a base water component, as the growth of the algae was 40.18% less than that of the control. Other concentrations considered resulted in a decrease in cell. count ranging from 9.20-48.97%. The three closest growth results of the concentration of thin stillage and methanator effluent (1%, 2%, and 4%) were scaled up to 2L flasks to confirm the results on a larger scale. The results showed a greater reduction in the cell count of the 1% and 4% concentrations, 23.52% and 16.31% reduction in cell count respectively. The 2% concentration showed a similar increase in cell count as before at 12.59% increase in cell count over the control. The 2% concentration algae growth cultures were grown exclusively alongside of the control group of DSD effluent grown algae. The solutions were grown to carrying capacity and the algae biomass was extracted from the solution by centrifugation and air drying in a dehydrator. This was repeated until enough biomass was collected to conduct rehydration and a typical anaerobic fermentation process. The resuspended algae were pH adjusted to a pH of 5.2 ±0.2. The algae were treated with a combination of cellulase and alpha-amylase, and put through a liquefaction process at 80°C for 3 hours. The resulting solutions were analyzed using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) to evaluate the sugar profile of each treatment. The liquefaction solutions were treated with further enzymes, nutrients, and yeast and ran through an anaerobic fermentation process. The fermentations were allowed to progress for 72 hours, and were again analyzed using an HPLC for ethanol and sugar profile. The fermentation results showed a potential of up to 0.587%w/v ethanol production in a 10% solids microalgae slurry. The remaining fermentation products were analyzed using a petroleum ether lipid extraction unit. This analysis showed that the DSD effluent microalgae had an average of 15.53% lipid content on a dry matter basis, and the methanator effluent with 2% thin stillage added resulted in 28.02% lipid content on a dry matter basis. The fermentation products were also treated with a demulsifier, spun down with a centrifuge, and examination of a released lipid layer was conducted. This analysis showed that there was a thin layer of oil on almost all treatments of the algae solutions when spun down in a centrifuge. These. results indicate that the cellulosic enzymes broke down the cell wall material sufficiently for the quick extraction of the oil without the use of hexane. The entirety of the resulting analysis showed that Monoraphidium sp. Dek19 is a viable option for growth using the side streams from an ethanol plant and the use of enzymes will breakdown the biomass of the algae for production of cellulosic ethanol. Additionally, the extraction of oil can be performed in a quicker and safer manner.

Assessment of reproductive effects in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) exposed to bleached/unbleached kraft mill effluents

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sepulveda, M.S.; Ruessler, D.S.; Denslow, N.D.; Holm, S.E.; Schoeb, T.R.; Gross, T.S.

2001-01-01

This study evaluated the potential effects of different concentrations of bleached/unbleached kraft mill effluent (B/UKME) on several reproductive endpoints in adult largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). The kraft mill studied produces a 50/50 mix of bleached/unbleached market pulp with an estimated release of 36 million gal of efffluent/day. Bleaching sequences were C90d10EopHDp and CEHD for softwood (pines) and hardwoods (mainly tupelo, gums, magnolia, and water oaks), respectively. Bass were exposed to different effluent concentrations (0 [controls, exposed to well water], 10, 20, 40, or 80%) for either 28 or 56 days. At the end of each exposure period, fish were euthanized, gonads collected for histological evaluation and determination of gonadosomatic index (GSI), and plasma was analyzed for 17??-estradiol, 11-ketotestosterone, and vitellogenin (VTG). Largemouth bass exposed to B/UKME responded with changes at the biochemical level (decline in sex steroids in both sexes and VTG in females) that were usually translated into tissue/organ-level responses (declines in GSI in both sexes and in ovarian development in females). Although most of these responses occurred after exposing fish to 40% B/UKME concentrations or greater, some were observed after exposures to 20% B/UKME. These threshold concentrations fall within the 60% average yearly concentration of effluent that exists in the stream near the point of discharge (Rice Creek), but are above the <10% effluent concentration present in the St. Johns River. The chemical(s) responsible for such changes as well as their mode(s) of action remain unknown at this time.

Bioretention column study of bacteria community response to salt-enriched artificial stormwater.

PubMed

Endreny, Theodore; Burke, David J; Burchhardt, Kathleen M; Fabian, Mark W; Kretzer, Annette M

2012-01-01

Cold climate cities with green infrastructure depend on soil bacteria to remove nutrients from road salt-enriched stormwater. Our research examined how bacterial communities in laboratory columns containing bioretention media responded to varying concentrations of salt exposure from artificial stormwater and the effect of bacteria and salt on column effluent concentrations. We used a factorial design with two bacteria treatments (sterile, nonsterile) and three salt concentrations (935, 315, and 80 ppm), including a deionized water control. Columns were repeatedly saturated with stormwater or deionized and then drained throughout 5 wk, with the last week of effluent analyzed for water chemistry. To examine bacterial communities, we extracted DNA from column bioretention media at time 0 and at week 5 and used molecular profiling techniques to examine bacterial community changes. We found that bacterial community taxa changed between time 0 and week 5 and that there was significant separation between taxa among salt treatments. Bacteria evenness was significantly affected by stormwater treatment, but there were no differences in bacterial richness or diversity. Soil bacteria and salt treatments had a significant effect on the effluent concentration of NO, PO, Cu, Pb, and Zn based on ANOVA tests. The presence of bacteria reduced effluent NO and Zn concentrations by as much as 150 and 25%, respectively, while having a mixed effect on effluent PO concentrations. Our results demonstrate how stormwater can affect bacterial communities and how the presence of soil bacteria improves pollutant removal by green infrastructure. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Development of Software Sensors for Determining Total Phosphorus and Total Nitrogen in Waters

PubMed Central

Lee, Eunhyoung; Han, Sanghoon; Kim, Hyunook

2013-01-01

Total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations are important parameters to assess the quality of water bodies and are used as criteria to regulate the water quality of the effluent from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Korea. Therefore, continuous monitoring of TN and TP using in situ instruments is conducted nationwide in Korea. However, most in situ instruments in the market are expensive and require a time-consuming sample pretreatment step, which hinders the widespread use of in situ TN and TP monitoring. In this study, therefore, software sensors based on multiple-regression with a few easily in situ measurable water quality parameters were applied to estimate the TN and TP concentrations in a stream, a lake, combined sewer overflows (CSOs), and WWTP effluent. In general, the developed software sensors predicted TN and TP concentrations of the WWTP effluent and CSOs reasonably well. However, they showed relatively lower predictability for TN and TP concentrations of stream and lake waters, possibly because the water quality of stream and lake waters is more variable than that of WWTP effluent or CSOs. PMID:23307350

Impact assessment of a wastewater treatment plant effluent using the fish biomarker ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase: field and on-site experiments.

PubMed

Kosmala, A; Migeon, B; Flammarion, P; Garric, J

1998-09-01

The impact of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent was assessed with the fish biomarker ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) using field and on-site laboratory experiments. EROD activity was measured in chub (Leuciscus cephalus) and stone loach (Noemacheilus barbatulus) caught at three sites of the Chalaronne River (southeast France). Liver somatic index (LSI) and organochloride bioaccumulation in muscle were estimated for chub only. In September, EROD activity and LSI of chub increased significantly between the sites above and below the WWTP effluent discharge. EROD induction detected in chub was confirmed by on-site tank experiments. EROD levels were determined in juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and mirror carp (Cyprinus carpio) exposed to different concentrations of the WWTP effluent and river water for 16 days. After a 4-day exposure, EROD activities of the carp exposed to the effluent increased significantly compared with the control. The response was linked to the effluent concentration and was stable with exposure time. WWTP effluent induced EROD activity, whereas organic and metal analyses, performed on fish muscle and sediment, did not indicate any difference between upstream and downstream of the discharge. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

Concentrating mixtures of neuroactive pharmaceuticals and altered neurotransmitter levels in the brain of fish exposed to a wastewater effluent.

PubMed

David, Arthur; Lange, Anke; Tyler, Charles R; Hill, Elizabeth M

2018-04-15

Fish can be exposed to a variety of neuroactive pharmaceuticals via the effluent discharges from wastewater treatment plants and concerns have arisen regarding their potential impacts on fish behaviour and ecology. In this study, we investigated the uptake of 14 neuroactive pharmaceuticals from a treated wastewater effluent into blood plasma and brain regions of roach (Rutilus rutilus) after exposure for 15days. We show that a complex mixture of pharmaceuticals including, 6 selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, a serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor, 3 atypical antipsychotics, 2 tricyclic antidepressants and a benzodiazepine, concentrate in different regions of the brain including the telencephalon, hypothalamus, optic tectum and hindbrain of effluent-exposed fish. Pharmaceuticals, with the exception of nordiazepam, were between 3-40 fold higher in brain compared with blood plasma, showing these neuroactive drugs are readily uptaken, into brain tissues in fish. To assess for the potential for any adverse ecotoxicological effects, the effect ratio was calculated from human therapeutic plasma concentrations (HtPCs) and the measured or predicted fish plasma concentrations of pharmaceuticals. After accounting for a safety factor of 1000, the effect ratios indicated that fluoxetine, norfluoxetine, sertraline, and amitriptyline warrant prioritisation for risk assessment studies. Furthermore, although plasma concentrations of all the pharmaceuticals were between 33 and 5714-fold below HtPCs, alterations in serotonin, glutamate, acetylcholine and tryptophan concentrations were observed in different brain regions of effluent-exposed fish. This study highlights the importance of determining the potential health effects arising from the concentration of complex environmental mixtures in risk assessment studies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Particulate and colloidal silver in sewage effluent and sludge discharged from British wastewater treatment plants.

PubMed

Johnson, Andrew C; Jürgens, Monika D; Lawlor, Alan J; Cisowska, Iwona; Williams, Richard J

2014-10-01

Differential filtration was used to measure silver (>2 nm) entering and leaving nine sewage treatment plants (STPs). The mean concentration of colloidal (2-450 nm) silver, which includes nanosilver, was found to be 12 ng L(-1) in the influent and 6 ng L(-1) in the effluent. For particulate silver (>450 nm) the mean values were 3.3 μg L(-1) for influent and 0.08 μg L(-1) for effluent. Thus, removal was around 50% and 98% for colloidal and particulate silver respectively. There was no significant difference in performance between the different types of STP investigated (three examples each of activated sludge, biological filter and biological filter with tertiary treatment located across England, UK). In addition, treated sewage sludge samples (biosolids) were taken from several STPs to measure the total silver likely to be discharged to soils. Total silver was 3-14 mg kg(-1) DW in the sludge (median 3.6), which if the sludge were added at the recommended rate to soil, would add 11 μg kg(-1) yr(-1) to the top 20 cm soil layer. Predicted concentrations using the LF2000-WQX model for all the rivers of England and Wales for nanosilver were typically in the 0-1 ng L(-1) range but levels up to 4 ng L(-1) are possible in a high discharge and low flow scenario. Predicted concentrations for the total particulate forms were mostly below 50 ng L(-1) except for a high discharge and low flow scenario where concentrations could reach 135 ng L(-1). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The use of semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) to concentrate inducers of fish hepatic mixed function oxygenase (MFO): Chapter 12

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parrott, Joanne L.; Tillitt, Donald E.

1997-01-01

Semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) are sampling and concentrating devices comprised of a thin polyethylene membrane containing a small quantity of triolein. They have previously been used to sample air, water and sediments and have concentrated fish tainting compounds from pulp mill effluents. The ability to induce mixed function oxygenases (MFOs) is a property of a variety of organic effluents, but the compound(s) responsible for induction have not been identified. We wanted to see if SPMDs would accumulate the MFO-inducing chemical(s) from pulp mill effluents and oil refinery effluents. Dialysates of effluent-exposed SPMDs induced ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity in a fish (Poeciliopsis lucida) hepatoma cell line, PLHC-1. In pulp mill effluents and oil sands mining and refining wastewaters, potencies varied greatly, from a few to thousands of pg TCDD-EQ/g SPMD. Low levels of inducers were seen in four pulp mills on the Athabasca R., and higher levels at one New Brunswick bleached sulphite and two Ontario bleached kraft pulp mills. The highest levels of MFO inducers were in SPMDs deployed for 14 days in wastewater from an oil sands upgrading facility, as well as SPMDs deployed at two sites on Athabasca River tributaries in the oil sands area. This suggests that natural erosion and weathering, as well as industrial processing of the oil sands, can release potent MFO inducers. Background (reference) induction by SPMD extracts ranged from non-detectable (<1) to 20 pg TCDD-EQ/g SPMD. Reactive clean-up of one of the bleached kraft mill effluent-exposed SPMD extracts on a sulfuric acid/silica gel column resulted in loss of the inducer(s), which suggested a polyaromatic hydrocarbon-type of inducing chemical(s), rather than a dioxin or furan inducer. SPMD deployments proved useful in the detection of inducers within the pulp mill process streams as extracts of SPMDs exposed to untreated bleached sulphite effluent were ten to twenty times as potent as those from secondary-treated effluent. Little is known about the nature and identity of the MFO inducers from pulp mill and refinery effluents, but the use of SPMDs as concentrators of MFO-inducing substances appears a promising avenue for future research.

USE OF ZEOLITE FOR REMOVING AMMONIA AND AMMONIA-CAUSED TOXCITY IN MARINE TOXICITY IDENTIFCATION EVALUATIONS (TIES)

EPA Science Inventory

Ammonia occurs in marine waters including effluents, receiving waters, and sediment interstitial waters. At sufficiently high concentrations, ammonia can be toxic to aquatic species. Toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) methods provide researchers with tools for identifyi...

Study on quality of effluent discharge by the Tiruppur textile dyeing units and its impact on river Noyyal, Tamil Nadu (India).

PubMed

Rajkumar, A Samuel; Nagan, S

2010-10-01

In Tiruppur, 729 textile dyeing units are under operation and these units generate 96.1 MLD of wastewater. The untreated effluent was discharged into the Noyyal River till 1997. After the issuance of directions by Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) in 1997, these units have installed 8 common effluent treatment plants (CETP) consisting of physical, chemical and biological treatment units. Some of the units have installed individual ETP (IETP). The treated effluent was finally discharged into the river. The dyeing units use sodium chloride in the dyeing process for efficient fixing of dye in the fabric efficiently. This contributes high total dissolved solids (TDS) and chlorides in the effluent. CETPs and IETPs failed to meet discharge standards of TDS and chlorides and thereby significantly affected the river water quality. TDS level in the river water was in the range of 900 - 6600 mg/L, and chloride was in the range of 230 - 2700 mg/L. Orathupalayam dam is located across Noyyal river at 32 km down stream of Tiruppur. The pollutants carried by the river were accumulated in the dam. TDS in the dam water was in the range of 4250 - 7900 mg/L and chloride was in the range of 1600 - 2700 mg/L. The dam sediments contain heavy metals of chromium, copper, zinc and lead. In 2006, the High Court has directed the dyeing units to install zero liquid discharge (ZLD) plant and to stop discharging of effluent into the river. Accordingly, the industries have installed and commissioned the ZLD plant consisting of RO plant and reject management system in 2010. The effluent after secondary treatment from the CETP is further treated in RO plant. The RO permeate is reused by the member units. The RO reject is concentrated in multiple effect evaporator (MEE)/ mechanical vacuum re-compressor (MVR). The concentrate is crystallized and centrifuged to recover salt. The salt recovered is reused. The liquid separated from the centrifuge is sent to solar evaporation pan. The salt collected in the solar pan is bagged and stored in secure land fill facility. Thus, the discharge into the river is now stopped. However, the damage caused to the groundwater and soil contamination in the river basin is yet to be restored.

High Laccase Expression by Trametes versicolor in a Simulated Textile Effluent with Different Carbon Sources and PHs.

PubMed

Ottoni, Cristiane; Simões, Marta F; Fernandes, Sara; Santos, Cledir R; Lima, Nelson

2016-08-02

Textile effluents are highly polluting and have variable and complex compositions. They can be extremely complex, with high salt concentrations and alkaline pHs. A fixed-bed bioreactor was used in the present study to simulate a textile effluent treatment, where the white-rot fungus, Trametes versicolor, efficiently decolourised the azo dye Reactive Black 5 over 28 days. This occurred under high alkaline conditions, which is unusual, but advantageous, for successful decolourisation processes. Active dye decolourisation was maintained by operation in continuous culture. Colour was eliminated during the course of operation and maximum laccase (Lcc) activity (80.2 U∙L(-1)) was detected after glycerol addition to the bioreactor. Lcc2 gene expression was evaluated with different carbon sources and pH values based on reverse transcriptase-PCR (polymerase chain reaction). Glycerol was shown to promote the highest lcc2 expression at pH 5.5, followed by sucrose and then glucose. The highest levels of expression occurred between three and four days, which corroborate the maximum Lcc activity observed for sucrose and glycerol on the bioreactor. These results give new insights into the use of T. versicolor in textile dye wastewater treatment with high pHs.

Aneugenicity and clastogenicity in freshwater fish Oreochromis niloticus exposed to incipient safe concentration of tannery effluent.

PubMed

Weldetinsae, Abel; Dawit, Mekibib; Getahun, Abebe; Patil, H S; Alemayehu, Esayas; Gizaw, Melaku; Abate, Moa; Abera, Daniel

2017-04-01

Conventional effluent bioassays mostly rely on overt responses or endpoints such as apical and Darwinian fitness. Beyond the empirical observation, laboratory toxicity testing needs to rely on effective detection of prognostic biomarkers such as genotoxicity. Indeed, characterization of tannery effluent requires slotting in of genotoxic responses in whole effluent toxicity testing procedures. Hence, the prime objective of the present experimental investigation is to apply the technique of biological assay as a tool of toxicity testing to evaluate the induction of micronuclei (MN) in peripheral erythrocytes, and exfoliated cells of gill and kidney of O.niloticus exposed to Maximum tolerable concentrations (MTCs) of composite Modjo tannery effluent (CMTE) and to compare the sensitivity of each cells origin to the induction of MN. After 72h of exposure, cellular aberrations were detected using MN and nuclear abnormality (NA) tests. The induction of MN was significantly higher in exposed groups (P<0.05) when compared to the control group; moreover the tissue specific MN response was in the order, gill cells>peripheral erythrocyte>kidney. Total NA was found to increase significantly (P<0.05), when compared to the non-exposed group. NA was also further ramified as blebbed (BL), bi-nucleated (BN), lobbed (LB) and notched (NT) abnormalities. The result of each endpoint measured has demonstrated that at a concentration of total chromium (0.1, 0.73 and 1.27mg/L), a perceptible amount cellular aberration was measured, further implicating somber treat of genotoxicity to fishes, if exposed to water contaminated with tannery effluent. This further highlight that conventional effluent monitoring alone cannot reveal the effects expressed at cellular and genetic levels further demanding the incorporation of effluent bioassays in risk assessment and risk management/abatement programs. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Hazardous effects of effluent from the chrome plating industry: 70 kDa heat shock protein expression as a marker of cellular damage in transgenic Drosophila melanogaster (hsp70-lacZ).

PubMed Central

Mukhopadhyay, Indranil; Saxena, Daya Krishna; Chowdhuri, Debapratim Kar

2003-01-01

Hazardous effects of an effluent from the chrome plating industry were examined by exposing transgenic Drosophila melanogaster (hsp70-lacZ) to various concentrations (0.05, 0.1, 1.0, 10.0, and 100.0 micro L/mL) of the effluent through diet. The emergence pattern of adult flies was affected, along with impaired reproductive performance at the higher dietary concentrations of the effluent. Interestingly, the effect of the effluent was more pronounced in male than in female flies. The effect of the effluent on development of adult flies was concurrent with the expression pattern of the heat shock protein 70 gene (hsp70), both in larval tissues and in the reproductive organs of adult flies. We observed a dose- and time-dependent expression of hsp70 in third instar larvae exposed for different time intervals. Absence of hsp70 expression in larvae exposed to 0.1 micro L/mL of the effluent indicated that this is the highest nontoxic concentration for Drosophila. The stress gene assay in the reproductive organs of adult flies revealed hsp70 expression in the testis of male flies only. However, trypan blue dye exclusion tests in these tissues indicate tissue damage in the male accessory gland of adult flies, which was further confirmed by ultrastructural observations. In the present study we demonstrate the utility of transgenic Drosophila as an alternative animal model for evaluating hazardous effects of the effluent from the chrome plating industry and further reveal the cytoprotective role of hsp70 and its expression as an early marker in environmental risk assessment. PMID:14644668

Using paired in situ high frequency nitrate measurements to better understand controls on nitrate concentrations and estimate nitrification rates in a wastewater-impacted river

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kraus, Tamara; O'Donnell, Katy; Downing, Bryan D.; Burau, Jon R.; Bergamaschi, Brian

2017-01-01

We used paired continuous nitrate ( ) measurements along a tidally affected river receiving wastewater discharge rich in ammonium ( ) to quantify rates of change in  concentration ( ) and estimate nitrification rates.  sensors were deployed 30 km apart in the Sacramento River, California (USA), with the upstream station located immediately above the regional wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). We used a travel time model to track water transit between the stations and estimated  every 15 min (October 2013 to September 2014). Changes in concentration were strongly related to water temperature. In the presence of wastewater, was generally positive, ranging from about 7 µM d−1 in the summer to near zero in the winter. Numerous periods when the WWTP halted discharge allowed the  to be estimated under no-effluent conditions and revealed that in the absence of effluent, net gains in  were substantially lower but still positive in the summer and negative (net sink) in the winter. Nitrification rates of effluent-derived NH4 ( ) were estimated from the difference between  measured in the presence versus absence of effluent and ranged from 1.5 to 3.4 µM d−1, which is within literature values but tenfold greater than recently reported for this region.  was generally lower in winter (∼2 µM d−1) than summer (∼3 µM d−1). This in situ, high frequency approach provides advantages over traditional discrete sampling, incubation, and tracer methods and allows measurements to be made over broad areas for extended periods of time. Incorporating this approach into environmental monitoring programs can facilitate our ability to protect and manage aquatic systems.

Using Paired In Situ High Frequency Nitrate Measurements to Better Understand Controls on Nitrate Concentrations and Estimate Nitrification Rates in a Wastewater-Impacted River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kraus, T. E. C.; O'Donnell, K.; Downing, B. D.; Burau, J. R.; Bergamaschi, B. A.

2017-10-01

We used paired continuous nitrate (NO3-) measurements along a tidally affected river receiving wastewater discharge rich in ammonium (NH4+) to quantify rates of change in NO3- concentration (RΔNO3) and estimate nitrification rates. NO3- sensors were deployed 30 km apart in the Sacramento River, California (USA), with the upstream station located immediately above the regional wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). We used a travel time model to track water transit between the stations and estimated RΔNO3 every 15 min (October 2013 to September 2014). Changes in NO3- concentration were strongly related to water temperature. In the presence of wastewater, RΔNO3 was generally positive, ranging from about 7 µM d-1 in the summer to near zero in the winter. Numerous periods when the WWTP halted discharge allowed the RΔNO3 to be estimated under no-effluent conditions and revealed that in the absence of effluent, net gains in NO3- were substantially lower but still positive in the summer and negative (net sink) in the winter. Nitrification rates of effluent-derived NH4 (RNitrific_E) were estimated from the difference between RΔNO3 measured in the presence versus absence of effluent and ranged from 1.5 to 3.4 µM d-1, which is within literature values but tenfold greater than recently reported for this region. RNitrific_E was generally lower in winter (˜2 µM d-1) than summer (˜3 µM d-1). This in situ, high frequency approach provides advantages over traditional discrete sampling, incubation, and tracer methods and allows measurements to be made over broad areas for extended periods of time. Incorporating this approach into environmental monitoring programs can facilitate our ability to protect and manage aquatic systems.

Determination of dilution factors for discharge of aluminum-containing wastes by public water-supply treatment facilities into lakes and reservoirs in Massachusetts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Colman, John A.; Massey, Andrew J.; Brandt, Sara L.

2011-09-16

Dilution of aluminum discharged to reservoirs in filter-backwash effluents at water-treatment facilities in Massachusetts was investigated by a field study and computer simulation. Determination of dilution is needed so that permits for discharge ensure compliance with water-quality standards for aquatic life. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency chronic standard for aluminum, 87 micrograms per liter (μg/L), rather than the acute standard, 750 μg/L, was used in this investigation because the time scales of chronic exposure (days) more nearly match rates of change in reservoir concentrations than do the time scales of acute exposure (hours).Whereas dilution factors are routinely computed for effluents discharged to streams solely on the basis of flow of the effluent and flow of the receiving stream, dilution determination for effluents discharged to reservoirs is more complex because (1), compared to streams, additional water is available for dilution in reservoirs during low flows as a result of reservoir flushing and storage during higher flows, and (2) aluminum removal in reservoirs occurs by aluminum sedimentation during the residence time of water in the reservoir. Possible resuspension of settled aluminum was not considered in this investigation. An additional concern for setting discharge standards is the substantial concentration of aluminum that can be naturally present in ambient surface waters, usually in association with dissolved organic carbon (DOC), which can bind aluminum and keep it in solution.A method for dilution determination was developed using a mass-balance equation for aluminum and considering sources of aluminum from groundwater, surface water, and filter-backwash effluents and losses caused by sedimentation, water withdrawal, and spill discharge from the reservoir. The method was applied to 13 reservoirs. Data on aluminum and DOC concentrations in reservoirs and influent water were collected during the fall of 2009. Complete reservoir volume was determined to be available for mixing on the basis of vertical and horizontal aluminum-concentration profiling. Losses caused by settling of aluminum were assumed to be proportional to aluminum concentration and reservoir area. The constant of proportionality, as a function of DOC concentration, was established by simulations in each of five reservoirs that differed in DOC concentration.In addition to computing dilution factors, the project determined dilution factors that would be protective with the same statistical basis (frequency of exceedance of the chronic standard) as dilutions computed for streams at the 7-day-average 10-year-recurrence annual low flow (the 7Q10). Low-flow dilutions are used for permitting so that receiving waters are protected even at the worst-case flow levels. The low-flow dilution factors that give the same statistical protection are the lowest annual 7-day-average dilution factors with a recurrence of 10 years, termed 7DF10s. Determination of 7DF10 values for reservoirs required that long periods of record be simulated so that dilution statistics could be determined. Dilution statistics were simulated for 13 reservoirs from 1960 to 2004 using U.S. Geological Survey Firm-Yield Estimator software to model reservoir inputs and outputs and present-day values of filter-effluent discharge and aluminum concentration.Computed settling velocities ranged from 0 centimeters per day (cm/d) at DOC concentrations of 15.5 milligrams per liter (mg/L) to 21.5 cm/d at DOC concentrations of 2.7 mg/L. The 7DF10 values were a function of aluminum effluent discharged. At current (2009) effluent discharge rates, the 7DF10 values varied from 1.8 to 115 among the 13 reservoirs. In most cases, the present-day (2009) discharge resulted in receiving water concentrations that did not exceed the standard at the 7DF10. Exceptions were one reservoir with a very small area and three reservoirs with high concentrations of DOC. Maximum permissible discharges were determined for water-treatment plants by adjusting discharges upward in simulations until the 7DF10 resulted in reservoir concentrations that just met the standard. In terms of aluminum flux, these discharges ranged from 0 to 28 kilograms of aluminum per day.

Cumulative effects of sewage sludge and effluent mixture application on soil properties of a sandy soil under a mixture of star and kikuyu grasses in Zimbabwe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madyiwa, S.; Chimbari, M.; Nyamangara, J.; Bangira, C.

Although sewage effluent and sludge provides nutrients for plant growth, its continual use over extended periods can result in the accumulation of heavy metals in soils and in grass to levels that are detrimental to the food chain. This study was carried in 2001 out at Firle farm, owned by the Municipality of Harare, to assess heavy metal loading on a sandy soil and uptake of the metals by pasture grass consisting of a mixture of Cynodon nlemfuensis (star grass) and Pennisetum clandestinum Chiov (kikuyu grass) following sewage effluent and sludge application for 29 years. Firle Farm receives treated effluent and sludge emanating from domestic and industrial sources. Soil and grass samples were taken from the study area, consisting of 3 ha of non-irrigated area (control) and 1.3 ha of irrigated area. Both the soil and grass samples were tested for Cu, Zn, Ni and Pb using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Sewage sludge addition resulted in high levels of soil pollution, especially in the 20 cm horizon, in the irrigated area when compared to the control. Grasses took up moderate levels of Cu and Zn, and limited levels of Pb. Nickel was not detectable in grasses despite high levels in the irrigated soil. Copper uptake was several times higher than the suggested potentially toxic level of 12 mg/kg [Soil Science Society of America, Micronutrients in agriculture, second ed., Wisconsin, USA, 1991]. Lead uptake averaged 1.0 mg/kg, which was below 10 mg/kg the suggested limit for agronomic crops [E.M. Seaker, Zinc, copper, cadmium and lead in minespoil, water and plants from reclaimed mine land amended with sewage sludge, 1991]. Cu and Zn showed relatively higher mobility down the soil profile than Ni and Pb. Even then, the concentrations in the lower soil layers were very small, suggesting that the metals were unlikely to contaminate groundwater. There was no direct correlation between metal levels in soils and grasses. It was postulated that it is the bio-available metal fraction in the soil that is correlated to plant uptake. The grasses appeared healthy even though they contained moderately high levels of Zn and Cu. This raises the possibility of beef animals grazing on ;healthy; looking grass that has very high concentrations of heavy metals. The fact that the total metal concentrations in the experimental soil were very high but did not cause any toxicity symptoms to the grass suggested that the limit soil concentration do not necessarily imply toxicity to all plants. However, limit concentrations are set not only for plant growth, but also for the protection of soil microorganisms and the latter are more sensitive to heavy metal pollution.

Special Analysis for Disposal of High-Concentration I-129 Waste in the Intermediate-Level Vaults at the E-Area Low-Level Waste Facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Collard, L.B.

2000-09-26

This revision was prepared to address comments from DOE-SR that arose following publication of revision 0. This Special Analysis (SA) addresses disposal of wastes with high concentrations of I-129 in the Intermediate-Level (IL) Vaults at the operating, low-level radioactive waste disposal facility (the E-Area Low-Level Waste Facility or LLWF) on the Savannah River Site (SRS). This SA provides limits for disposal in the IL Vaults of high-concentration I-129 wastes, including activated carbon beds from the Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF), based on their measured, waste-specific Kds.

A case study of enteric virus removal and insights into the associated risk of water reuse for two wastewater treatment pond systems in Bolivia.

PubMed

Symonds, E M; Verbyla, M E; Lukasik, J O; Kafle, R C; Breitbart, M; Mihelcic, J R

2014-11-15

Wastewater treatment ponds (WTP) are one of the most widespread treatment technologies in the world; however, the mechanisms and extent of enteric virus removal in these systems are poorly understood. Two WTP systems in Bolivia, with similar overall hydraulic retention times but different first stages of treatment, were analyzed for enteric virus removal. One system consisted of a facultative pond followed by two maturation ponds (three-pond system) and the other consisted of an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor followed by two maturation (polishing) ponds (UASB-pond system). Quantitative polymerase chain reaction with reverse transcription (RT-qPCR) was used to measure concentrations of norovirus, rotavirus, and pepper mild mottle virus, while cell culture methods were used to measure concentrations of culturable enteroviruses (EV). Limited virus removal was observed with RT-qPCR in either system; however, the three-pond system removed culturable EV with greater efficiency than the UASB-pond system. The majority of viruses were not associated with particles and only a small proportion was associated with particles larger than 180 μm; thus, it is unlikely that sedimentation is a major mechanism of virus removal. High concentrations of viruses were associated with particles between 0.45 and 180 μm in the UASB reactor effluent, but not in the facultative pond effluent. The association of viruses with this size class of particles may explain why only minimal virus removal was observed in the UASB-pond system. Quantitative microbial risk assessment of the treated effluent for reuse for restricted irrigation indicated that the three-pond system effluent requires an additional 1- to 2-log10 reduction of viruses to achieve the WHO health target of <10(-4) disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost per person per year; however, the UASB-pond system effluent may require an additional 2.5- to 4.5-log10 reduction of viruses. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of operational conditions on the performance of a mesh filter activated sludge process.

PubMed

Fuchs, W; Resch, C; Kernstock, M; Mayer, M; Schoeberl, P; Braun, R

2005-03-01

Recently, a new type of wastewater treatment system became the focus of scientific research, the mesh filter activated sludge system. It is a modification of the membrane bioreactor where a membrane filtration process serves to separate the sludge from the purified effluent. The difference is that a mesh filter is used instead of the membrane. Due to the much larger pore size of the mesh, the effluent is not of the same excellent quality as with membrane bioreactors. Nevertheless, it still resembles the quality of the now most widely used standard treatment system, where settling tanks are used to retain the activated sludge. At the same time, the new system features all the other advantages of membrane bioreactors including elevated sludge concentrations resulting in decreased volumina of basins and complete substitution of the settling tank. Therefore, this process presents a potential future alternative where a small footprint of the plant is required. However, so far only a few preliminary studies on this innovative process type have been done. In this paper, the effects of suspended solids concentration, flux rate as well as aeration rate on the effluent quality are discussed. Furthermore, the characteristic of the sludge floc was identified as a factor of vital importance. Therefore, another influencing parameter, the food to microorganism (F/M) ratio, which is known to have a significant effect on floc characteristics, was studied. The main result demonstrated that the process was very effective under most of the operation conditions. The suspended solids concentration in the effluent was below 12 mg l(-1), the average COD in the effluent was between 24 and 45 mg l(-1) and the BOD(5) was lower than 5 mg l(-1). High flux rates of up to 150 l m(-2)h(-1) were also achieved.

Fate of oestrogens during anaerobic blackwater treatment with micro-aerobic post-treatment.

PubMed

de Mes, T Z D; Kujawa-Roeleveld, K; Zeeman, G; Lettinga, G

2007-01-01

The fate of oestrone (E1), 17beta-oestradiol (E2) and 17alpha-ethynyloestradiol (EE2) was investigated in a concentrated blackwater treatment system consisting of an UASB septic tank, with micro-aerobic post-treatment. In UASB septic tank effluent a (natural) total concentration of 4.02 microg/L E1 and 18.69 microg/L E2, comprising the sum of conjugated (>70% for E1 and >80% for E2) and unconjugated forms, was measured. During post-treatment the unconjugated oestrogens were removed to below 1 microg/L. A percentage of 77% of the measured unconjugated E1 and 82% of E2 was associated with particles >1.2 microm in the final effluent implying high sorption affinity of both compounds. When spiking the UASB septic tank effluent with E1, E2, EE2 and the sulphate conjugate of E2, removal in the micro-aerobic post-treatment was >99% for both E2 and EE2 and 83% for E1. The lower removal value for E1 was a result of (slow) deconjugation during the treatment, and in the final effluent still 40% of E1 and 99% of E2 was present in conjugated form. The latter was the result of incomplete deconjugation of the spiked E2(3S) in the post-treatment system.

Bacterial treatment effectiveness of point-of-use ceramic water filters.

PubMed

Bielefeldt, Angela R; Kowalski, Kate; Summers, R Scott

2009-08-01

Laboratory experiments were conducted on six point-of-use (POU) ceramic water filters that were manufactured in Nicaragua; two filters were used by families for ca. 4 years and the other filters had limited prior use in our lab. Water spiked with ca. 10(6)CFU/mL of Escherichia coli was dosed to the filters. Initial disinfection efficiencies ranged from 3 - 4.5 log, but the treatment efficiency decreased with subsequent batches of spiked water. Silver concentrations in the effluent water ranged from 0.04 - 1.75 ppb. Subsequent experiments that utilized feed water without a bacterial spike yielded 10(3)-10(5)CFU/mL bacteria in the effluent. Immediately after recoating four of the filters with a colloidal silver solution, the effluent silver concentrations increased to 36 - 45 ppb and bacterial disinfection efficiencies were 3.8-4.5 log. The treatment effectiveness decreased to 0.2 - 2.5 log after loading multiple batches of highly contaminated water. In subsequent loading of clean water, the effluent water contained <20-41 CFU/mL in two of the filters. This indicates that the silver had some benefit to reducing bacterial contamination by the filter. In general these POU filters were found to be effective, but showed loss of effectiveness with time and indicated a release of microbes into subsequent volumes of water passed through the system.

Hydrogeochemical processes and impact of tanning industries on groundwater quality in Ambur, Vellore district, Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Kanagaraj, G; Elango, L

2016-12-01

The present study was carried out to determine the hydrogeochemical processes and the impact of tanning industries on groundwater in Ambur, Vellore district, Tamil Nadu, India. Thirty groundwater samples were collected during pre monsoon (July 2015) and post monsoon (January 2016) from the open and shallow wells around this region and were analyzed for major ions and chromium. The major ion concentration follows the order of Na + > Ca 2+ > Mg 2+ > K + (cations) and Cl - > HCO 3 - > SO 4 2- > NO 3 - (anions) for both seasons. The high concentrations of Na + , Cl - , and Cr around the tannery regions indicate the impact of effluent discharged from tannery units. In general, the groundwater of this study area is of Na + -Cl - type, which is due to the mixing of tannery effluent and cation exchange process. Ionic ratio indicates that the silicate weathering influences the groundwater chemistry. The permissible limit of chromium in the groundwater exceeds in over 50 % of the sampling wells. The factor analysis reveals that the dominant source for ionic contents is due to tannery effluents and cation exchange processes. To overcome this situation, it is essential to improve the performance of the effluent treatment plants so as to remove the salinity of wastewater and to plan for rainfall recharge structures for improving the groundwater recharge.

40 CFR 440.82 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best practicable control technology... technology currently available (BPT). Except as provided in subpart L of this part and 40 CFR 125.30 through... practicable control technology currently available (BPT): (a) The concentration of pollutants discharged in...

40 CFR 440.82 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best practicable control technology... technology currently available (BPT). Except as provided in subpart L of this part and 40 CFR 125.30 through... practicable control technology currently available (BPT): (a) The concentration of pollutants discharged in...

40 CFR 440.82 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best practicable control technology... technology currently available (BPT). Except as provided in subpart L of this part and 40 CFR 125.30 through... practicable control technology currently available (BPT): (a) The concentration of pollutants discharged in...

Effects of intermittent aeration periods on a structured-bed reactor continuously fed on the post-treatment of sewage anaerobic effluent.

PubMed

Silva, Bruno Garcia; Damianovic, Márcia Helena Rissato Zamariolli; Foresti, Eugenio

2018-04-20

This study assessed the simultaneous nitrification and denitrification processes and remaining organic matter removal from anaerobic reactor effluent treating wastewater in a single reactor. A structured-bed reactor, with polyurethane foam as support media, was subjected to intermittent aeration and effluent recirculation. Aerated/non-aerated periods varied in the range of 2/1-1/3 h. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) in the effluent remained between 26 and 42 mg L -1 throughout all the aeration conditions. Aeration periods of 1/2 h removed 80 and 26% of Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen and Total Nitrogen, respectively. A low solid production was observed during the 300 days of operation, resulting in a solid retention time of 139 days. The results indicate that the non-aerated periods generated alkalinity that favored nitrification, maintaining low COD concentrations in the effluent. The structured bed reactor presented a low solid production and effluent loss below 20 mgSSV L -1 , similar to concentrations obtained in secondary decanters.

Occurrence of pharmaceuticals, hormones, and organic wastewater compounds in Pennsylvania waters, 2006-09

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reif, Andrew G.; Crawford, J. Kent; Loper, Connie A.; Proctor, Arianne; Manning, Rhonda; Titler, Robert

2012-01-01

Concern over the presence of contaminants of emerging concern, such as pharmaceutical compounds, hormones, and organic wastewater compounds (OWCs), in waters of the United States and elsewhere is growing. Laboratory techniques developed within the last decade or new techniques currently under development within the U.S. Geological Survey now allow these compounds to be measured at concentrations in nanograms per liter. These new laboratory techniques were used in a reconnaissance study conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, to determine the occurrence of contaminants of emerging concern in streams, streambed sediment, and groundwater of Pennsylvania. Compounds analyzed for in the study are pharmaceuticals (human and veterinary drugs), hormones (natural and synthetic), and OWCs (detergents, fragrances, pesticides, industrial compounds, disinfectants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, fire retardants and plasticizers). Reconnaissance sampling was conducted from 2006 to 2009 to identify contaminants of emerging concern in (1) groundwater from wells used to supply livestock, (2) streamwater upstream and downstream from animal feeding operations, (3) streamwater upstream from and streamwater and streambed sediment downstream from municipal wastewater effluent discharges, (4) streamwater from sites within 5 miles of drinking-water intakes, and (5) streamwater and streambed sediment where fish health assessments were conducted. Of the 44 pharmaceutical compounds analyzed in groundwater samples collected in 2006 from six wells used to supply livestock, only cotinine (a nicotine metabolite) and the antibiotics tylosin and sulfamethoxazole were detected. The maximum concentration of any contaminant of emerging concern was 24 nanograms per liter (ng/L) for cotinine, and was detected in a groundwater sample from a Lebanon County, Pa., well. Seven pharmaceutical compounds including acetaminophen, caffeine, carbamazepine, and the four antibiotics tylosin, sulfadimethoxine, sulfamethoxazole, and oxytetracycline were detected in streamwater samples collected in 2006 from six paired stream sampling sites located upstream and downstream from animal-feeding operations. The highest reported concentration of these seven compounds was for the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole (157 ng/L), in a sample from the downstream site on Snitz Creek in Lancaster County, Pa. Twenty-one pharmaceutical compounds were detected in streamwater samples collected in 2006 from five paired stream sampling sites located upstream or downstream from a municipal wastewater-effluent-discharge site. The most commonly detected compounds and maximum concentrations were the anticonvulsant carbamazepine, 276 ng/L; the antihistamine diphenhydramine, 135 ng/L; and the antibiotics ofloxacin, 329 ng/L; sulfamethoxazole, 1,340 ng/L; and trimethoprim, 256 ng/L. A total of 51 different contaminants of emerging concern were detected in streamwater samples collected from 2007 through 2009 at 13 stream sampling sites located downstream from a wastewater-effluent-discharge site. The concentrations and numbers of compounds detected were higher in stream sites downstream from a wastewater-effluent-discharge site than in stream sites upstream from a wastewater-effluent-discharge site. This finding indicates that wastewater-effluent discharges are a source of contaminants of emerging concern; these contaminants were present more frequently in the streambed-sediment samples than in streamwater samples. Antibiotic compounds were often present in both the streamwater and streambed-sediment samples, but many OWCs were present exclusively in the streambed-sediment samples. Compounds with endocrine disrupting potential including detergent metabolites, pesticides, and flame retardants, were present in the streamwater and streambed-sediment samples. Killinger Creek, a stream where wastewater-effluent discharges contribute a large percentage of the total flow, stands out as a stream with particularly high numbers of compounds detected and detected at the highest concentrations measured in the reconnaissance sampling. Nineteen contaminants of emerging concern were detected in streamwater samples collected quarterly from 2007 through 2009 at 27 stream sites within 5 miles of a drinking-water intake. The number of contaminants and the concentrations detected at the stream sites within 5 miles of drinking-water intakes were generally very low (concentrations less than 50 ng/L), much lower than those at sites downstream from a wastewater-effluent discharge. The most commonly detected compounds and maximum concentrations were caffeine, 517 ng/L; carbamazepine, 95 ng/L; sulfamethoxazole, 146 ng/L; and estrone, 3.15 ng/L. The concentrations and frequencies of detection of some of the contaminants of emerging concern appear to vary by season, which could be explained by compound use, flow regime, or differences in degradation rates. Concentrations of some contaminants were associated with lower flows as a result of decreased in-stream dilution of wastewater effluents or other contamination sources. Twenty-two contaminants of emerging concern were detected once each in streamwater samples collected in 2007 and 2008 from 16 fish-health stream sites located statewide. The highest concentrations were for the OWCs, including flame retardants tri(2-butoxyethyl)phosphate (604 ng/L) and tri(2-chloroethyl)phosphate (272 ng/L) and the fragrance isoquinoline (330 ng/L). Far fewer numbers of contaminants of emerging concern were detected at the fish-health sites than at the wastewater-effluent-discharge sites. Most of the fish-health sites were not located directly downstream from a wastewater-effluent discharge, but there were multiple wastewater-effluent discharges in the drainage basins upstream from the sampling sites. No distinct pattern of contaminant occurrence could be discerned for the fish-health stream sites

Factorial design application in photocatalytic wastewater degradation from TNT industry-red water.

PubMed

Guz, Ricardo; de Moura, Cristiane; da Cunha, Mário Antônio Alves; Rodrigues, Marcio Barreto

2017-03-01

In trinitrotoluene (TNT) purification process, realized in industries, there are two washes carried out at the end of the procedure. The first is performed with vaporized water, from which the first effluent, called yellow water, is originated. Then, a second wash is performed using sodium sulfite, generating the red water effluent. The objective of this work was to get the best conditions for photocatalytic degradation of the second effluent, red water, in order to reduce toxicity and adjust legal parameters according to regulatory agencies for dumping these effluents into waterways. It has used a statistical evaluation for factor interaction (pH, concentration) that affects heterogeneous photocatalysis with titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ). Thus, the treatment applied in the factorial experimental design consisted of using a volume equal to 500 mL of the effluent to 0.1 % by batch treatment, which has changed TiO 2  pH and concentration, according to the design, with 20 min time for evaluation, where it was used as response to the reduction of UV-Vis absorption. According to the design responses, it has obtained optimum values for the parameters evaluated: pH = 6.5 and concentration of 100 mg/L of TiO 2 were shown to be efficient when applied to red water effluent, obtaining approximately 91 % of discoloration.

Bicarbonate is not the ultimate answer to the biocompatibility problems of CAPD solutions: a cytotoxicity test of CAPD solutions and effluents.

PubMed

Schambye, H T; Pedersen, F B; Wang, P

1992-01-01

Human polymorphonuclear granulocytes (PMN) were tested for migration and phagocytosis after exposure to CAPD solutions and effluents sampled during the first hour of dialysis from patients treated with lactate or bicarbonate based CAPD-solutions. The effluents from the lactate based solutions (Dianeal and Lockolys) reduced the migration and enhanced the phagocytosis compared to values obtained in a standard cell culture medium. Both cell functions increased during the dialysis period. In contrast, the cell-function only changed slightly when 87b, a bicarbonate based CAPD-solution (pH = 7.4, [HCO3-) = 29mM), was employed. During the first 30 minutes, the cells performed at a higher level when exposed to the 87b effluent than when exposed to the lactate effluents. The observations further indicated that optimal conditions for PMNs are at a bicarbonate concentration of less than 20 mM and a lactate concentration of less than 15mM. PMN migration is reduced by both lactate and bicarbonate based CAPD solutions and effluents collected during the first hour of dialysis. The bio-compatibility of CAPD solutions may be improved by combining the lactate and bicarbonate buffering systems in a solution with a concentration of less than 20 mM of bicarbonate and less than 15 mM of lactate.

FACTORS AFFECTING THE DISSIPATION OF WINDSCALE RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENT IN THE IRISH SEA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shaw, A.E.; Charlesworth, F.R.

1952-02-20

diffusion, and residual currents was orginally assessed by Seligman and Scott in 1948. Further experimental work is described which has enabled a new assessment to be made. This work has included a measurement of the initial dilution of fresh water from the pipe line, and a study of the movement of water as indicated by drift bottles. lt is now envisaged that initial dilution, by a factor of 10, will be followed by eddy diffusion with the coefficients as measured by Seligman, and bulk movement primarily due to the force of the wind. Exceptions will occur when defined calm conditionsmore » exist. The discharged effluent will then tend to float on the surface with an initial dilution factor of only a few hundred and successive tidal releases will pour into the diffusing remains of the previous activity, there being no indications of residual currents. No work has been done to see if this more concentrated effluent can come ashore without further dilution. lt is recommended that, to avoid floating effluent, water should not be discharged during very calm weather. Maximum storage space can be assured by normally pumping effluent to sea at the next high tide after treatment. (auth)« less

Biosorption of simulated dyed effluents by inactivated fungal biomasses.

PubMed

Prigione, Valeria; Varese, Giovanna Cristina; Casieri, Leonardo; Marchisio, Valeria Filipello

2008-06-01

Treatment of dyed effluents presents several problems mainly due to the toxicity and recalcitrance of dyestuffs. Innovative technologies, such as biosorption, are needed as alternatives to conventional methods to find inexpensive ways of removing dyes from large volumes of effluents. Inactivated biomasses do not require a continuous supply of nutrients and are not sensitive to the toxicity of dyes or toxic wastes. They can also be regenerated and reused in many cycles and are both safe and environment-friendly. The sorption capacities (SC) of autoclaved biomasses of three Mucorales fungi (Cunninghamella elegans, Rhizomucor pusillus and Rhizopus stolonifer), cultured on two different media, were evaluated against simulated effluents containing concentrations of 1000 and 5000 ppm of a single dye and a mix of 10 industrial textile dyes in batch experiments. SC values of up to 532.8 mg of dye g(-1) dry weight of biomass were coupled with high effluent decolourisation percentages (up to 100%). These biomasses may thus prove to be extremely powerful candidates for dye biosorption from industrial wastewaters. Even better results were obtained when a column system with the immobilised and inactivated biomass of one fungus was employed.

Seasonal Variations and Resilience of Bacterial Communities in a Sewage Polluted Urban River

PubMed Central

Ouattara, Nouho Koffi; Anzil, Adriana; Verbanck, Michel A.; Brion, Natacha; Servais, Pierre

2014-01-01

The Zenne River in Brussels (Belgium) and effluents of the two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) of Brussels were chosen to assess the impact of disturbance on bacterial community composition (BCC) of an urban river. Organic matters, nutrients load and oxygen concentration fluctuated highly along the river and over time because of WWTPs discharge. Tag pyrosequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes revealed the significant effect of seasonality on the richness, the bacterial diversity (Shannon index) and BCC. The major grouping: -winter/fall samples versus spring/summer samples- could be associated with fluctuations of in situ bacterial activities (dissolved and particulate organic carbon biodegradation associated with oxygen consumption and N transformation). BCC of the samples collected upstream from the WWTPs discharge were significantly different from BCC of downstream samples and WWTPs effluents, while no significant difference was found between BCC of WWTPs effluents and the downstream samples as revealed by ANOSIM. Analysis per season showed that allochthonous bacteria brought by WWTPs effluents triggered the changes in community composition, eventually followed by rapid post-disturbance return to the original composition as observed in April (resilience), whereas community composition remained altered after the perturbation by WWTPs effluents in the other seasons. PMID:24667680

Waste Load Allocation for Conservative Substances to Protect Aquatic Organisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutcheson, M. R.

1992-01-01

A waste load allocation process is developed to determine the maximum effluent concentration of a conservative substance that will not harm fish and wildlife propagation. If this concentration is not exceeded in the effluent, the acute toxicity criterion will not be violated in the receiving stream, and the chronic criterion will not be exceeded in the zone of passage, defined in many state water quality standards to allow the movement of aquatic organisms past a discharge. Considerable simplification of the concentration equation, which is the heart of any waste load allocation, is achieved because it is based on the concentration in the receiving stream when the concentration gradient on the zone of passage boundary is zero. Consequently, the expression obtained for effluent concentration is independent of source location or stream morphology. Only five independent variables, which are routinely available to regulatory agencies, are required to perform this allocation. It aids in developing permit limits which are protective without being unduly restrictive or requiring large expenditures of money and manpower on field investigations.

Distributions and concentrations of thallium in surface waters of a region impacted by historical metal mining (Cornwall, UK).

PubMed

Tatsi, Kristi; Turner, Andrew

2014-03-01

Thallium is a highly toxic heavy metal whose concentrations and distributions in the aquatic environment are poorly defined. In this study, concentrations of aqueous and total Tl have been measured in water samples from a variety of rivers and effluents (the latter related to historical metal mining) in the county of Cornwall, SW England. Aqueous concentrations ranged from about 13 ng L(-1) in a river whose catchment contained no metal mines to 2,640 ng L(-1) in water abstracted directly from an abandoned mine shaft. Concentrations of Tl in rivers were greatest in the vicinity of mine-related effluents, with a maximum value measured of about 770 ng L(-1). Thallium was not efficiently removed by the conventional, active treatment of mine water, and displayed little interaction with suspended particles. Its mobility in surface waters, coupled with concentrations that are close to a quality guideline of 800 ng L(-1), is cause for concern. Accordingly, we recommend that the metal is more closely monitored in this and other regions impacted by mining activities. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Contribution of Wastewater Treatment Plant Effluents to Nutrient Dynamics in Aquatic Systems: A Review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carey, Richard O.; Migliaccio, Kati W.

2009-08-01

Excessive nutrient loading (considering nitrogen and phosphorus) is a major ongoing threat to water quality and here we review the impact of nutrient discharges from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) to United States (U.S.) freshwater systems. While urban and agricultural land uses are significant nonpoint nutrient contributors, effluent from point sources such as WWTPs can overwhelm receiving waters, effectively dominating hydrological characteristics and regulating instream nutrient processes. Population growth, increased wastewater volumes, and sustainability of critical water resources have all been key factors influencing the extent of wastewater treatment. Reducing nutrient concentrations in wastewater is an important aspect of water quality management because excessive nutrient concentrations often prevent water bodies from meeting designated uses. WWTPs employ numerous physical, chemical, and biological methods to improve effluent water quality but nutrient removal requires advanced treatment and infrastructure that may be economically prohibitive. Therefore, effluent nutrient concentrations vary depending on the particular processes used to treat influent wastewater. Increasingly stringent regulations regarding nutrient concentrations in discharged effluent, along with greater freshwater demand in populous areas, have led to the development of extensive water recycling programs within many U.S. regions. Reuse programs provide an opportunity to reduce or eliminate direct nutrient discharges to receiving waters while allowing for the beneficial use of reclaimed water. However, nutrients in reclaimed water can still be a concern for reuse applications, such as agricultural and landscape irrigation.

Comparison of natural estrogen removal efficiency in the conventional activated sludge process and the oxidation ditch process.

PubMed

Hashimoto, T; Onda, K; Nakamura, Y; Tada, K; Miya, A; Murakami, T

2007-05-01

The presence of natural estrogens, 17beta-estradiol (E2), estrone (E1) and estriol (E3), as well as estrogenic activity in wastewater influents and secondary effluents were investigated in 20 full-scale wastewater treatment plants in Japan. In all of the influent samples, natural estrogens were detected at concentrations above the minimum limits of detection (0.5ng/L). The concentrations of natural estrogens detected in the effluent of oxidation ditch plants were generally lower than previously reported values. On the other hand, in the conventional activated sludge plants, increments of E1 during biological treatment were frequently observed although E2 and E3 were removed effectively in the process. The removal rates of natural estrogens or estrogenic activity show no observed statistical relationship with the solids retention time (SRT) and the hydraulic retention time (HRT). However, the plants with high SRT or HRT generally showed high and stable removal of both natural estrogens and estrogenic activity.

Is bigger better? Driving factors of POTW performance in New York.

PubMed

Rahm, Brian G; Morse, Natalie; Bowen, Michelle; Choi, Jun; Mehta, Dhaval; Vedachalam, Sridhar

2018-05-15

Like many regions around the world, New York State, USA, faces challenges in meeting wastewater treatment quality standards because of aging infrastructure, limited funding, shifting demographics and increasingly stringent environmental regulations. In recent decades construction of new wastewater treatment and distribution infrastructure in NY has most often occurred in exurban communities and suburban developments that are less dense than traditional urban cores. Here, we examine the role of size and capacity utilization on wastewater treatment effectiveness with respect to critical effluent parameters, and additionally explore which common facility engineering controls influence water quality treatment using a unique dataset of descriptive information. Our results challenge conventional wisdom, suggesting that the largest facilities (>30,000 m 3 /d), not the smallest (<300 m 3 /d), discharge TSS, BOD, and coliform at significantly higher relative effluent concentrations (i.e., the ratio of discharged concentrations to allowable limits). Capacity utilization was also positively correlated to higher concentrations of TSS, BOD, and coliform effluent concentrations in larger facilities, though those concentrations were often within regulated limits. This implies that smaller-sized facilities may perform better in terms of environmental quality, but that the largest facilities demonstrate efficiency in the sense that they are not "over-treating" wastewater while avoiding violations. Results from NY suggest that medium sized facilities (300-30,000 m 3 /d) are sophisticated enough to incorporate appropriate unit processes, and employ operators with sufficient training and oversight, to reach treatment outcomes that are both reliable and of high quality. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Incubation experiments to determine the response of a natural plankton community to treated sewage effluent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seubert, Erica L.; Gellene, Alyssa G.; Campbell, Victoria; Smith, Jayme; Robertson, George; Caron, David A.

2017-02-01

The Orange County Sanitation District diverted flow of secondarily-treated effluent from a discharge pipe located 8.0 km offshore at 60 m depth to an outfall located 1.6 km offshore at 16 m depth for three weeks in September of 2012. Two incubation experiments were performed to examine the potential for this effluent to stimulate the growth and impact the structure of natural, coastal plankton communities. The first experiment was initiated a week prior to the diversion of effluent to the nearshore site ('Pre-Diversion'), and the second began a week after the start of the diversion ('Mid-Diversion'). The overall phytoplankton response observed in both experiments following effluent addition was an increase in the abundances of diatoms and photosynthetic picoeukaryotes, and a decrease in picocyanobacteria. A dramatic net increase in heterotrophic bacterial abundances also occurred in both experiments. Additions of a 1:10 dilution of effluent yielded significant increases in chlorophyll a concentrations, although this treatment in the Pre-Diversion experiment exhibited a 3 day lag in response to effluent addition, perhaps indicating that the Pre-Diversion community was inhibited by the enhanced chlorination process that was enacted during the diversion. Domoic acid producing diatoms in the genus Pseudo-nitzschia were present in the plankton throughout the experiments, but domoic acid production was only detected during the Mid-Diversion experiment. The highest concentration of domoic acid measured, 0.42 ± 0.057 μg/L, coincided with phosphate and silicate concentrations below the detection limit of the method, suggesting limitation by these macronutrients.

Effects of residential wastewater treatment systems on ground-water quality in west-central Jefferson County, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hall, Dennis C.; Hillier, D.E.; Nickum, Edward; Dorrance, W.G.

1981-01-01

The use of residential wastewater-treatment systems in Evergreen Meadows, Marshdale, and Herzman Mesa, Colo., has degraded ground-water quality to some extent in each community. Age of community; average lot size; slope of land surface; composition, permeability, and thickness of surficial material; density, size , and orientation of fractures; maintenance of wastewater-treatment systems; and presence of animals are factors possibly contributing to the degradation of ground-water quality. When compared with effluent from aeration-treatment tanks, effluent fom septic-treatment tanks is characterized by greater biochemical oxygen demand and greater concentrations of detergents. When compared with effluent from septic-treatment tanks, effluent from aeration-treatment tanks is characterized by greater concentrations of dissolved oxygen, nitrite, nitrate, sulfate, and dissolved solids. (USGS)

Pilot monitoring study of ibuprofen in surface waters of north of Portugal.

PubMed

Paíga, Paula; Santos, Lúcia H M L M; Amorim, Célia G; Araújo, Alberto N; Montenegro, M Conceição B S M; Pena, Angelina; Delerue-Matos, Cristina

2013-04-01

Ibuprofen is amongst the most worldwide consumed pharmaceuticals. The present work presents the first data in the occurrence of ibuprofen in Portuguese surface waters, focusing in the north area of the country, which is one of the most densely populated areas of Portugal. Analysis of ibuprofen is based on pre-concentration of the analyte with solid phase extraction and subsequent determination with liquid chromatography coupled to fluorescence detection. A total of 42 water samples, including surface waters, landfill leachates, Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), and hospital effluents, were analyzed in order to evaluate the occurrence of ibuprofen in the north of Portugal. In general, the highest concentrations were found in the river mouths and in the estuarine zone. The maximum concentrations found were 48,720 ng L(-1) in the landfill leachate, 3,868 ng L(-1) in hospital effluent, 616 ng L(-1) in WWTP effluent, and 723 ng L(-1) in surface waters (Lima river). Environmental risk assessment was evaluated and at the measured concentrations only landfill leachates reveal potential ecotoxicological risk for aquatic organisms. Owing to a high consumption rate of ibuprofen among Portuguese population, as prescribed and non-prescribed medicine, the importance of hospitals, WWTPs, and landfills as sources of entrance of pharmaceuticals in the environment was pointed out. Landfill leachates showed the highest contribution for ibuprofen mass loading into surface waters. On the basis of our findings, more studies are needed as an attempt to assess more vulnerable areas.

Recovery of high-purity silver directly from dilute effluents by an emulsion liquid membrane-crystallization process.

PubMed

Tang, Bing; Yu, Guojun; Fang, Jianzhang; Shi, Taihong

2010-05-15

An emulsion liquid membrane (ELM)-crystallization process, using hypophosphorous acid as a reducing agent in the internal aqueous phase, has been developed for the purpose of recovering high-purity silver directly from dilute industrial effluents (waste rinse water). After pretreatment with HNO(3), silver in waste rinse water can be reliably recovered with high efficiency through the established process. The main parameters in the process of ELM-crystallization include the concentration of carrier in the membrane phase, the concentration of reducing agent in the internal aqueous phase, and the treatment ratio, which influence the recovery efficiency to various extents and must be controlled carefully. The results indicated that more than 99.5% (wt.) of the silver ions in the external aqueous phase were extracted by the ELM-crystallization process, with an average efficiency of recovery of 99.24% (wt.) and a purity of 99.92% (wt.). The membrane phase can be used repeatedly without loss of the efficiency of recovery. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessment of nanofiltration and reverse osmosis potentialities to recover metals, sulfuric acid, and recycled water from acid gold mining effluent.

PubMed

Ricci, Bárbara C; Ferreira, Carolina D; Marques, Larissa S; Martins, Sofia S; Amaral, Míriam C S

This work assessed the potential of nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) to treat acid streams contaminated with metals, such as effluent from the pressure oxidation process (POX) used in refractory gold ore processing. NF and RO were evaluated in terms of rejections of sulfuric acid and metals. Regarding NF, high sulfuric acid permeation (∼100%), was observed, while metals were retained with high efficiencies (∼90%), whereas RO led to high acid rejections (<88%) when conducted in pH values higher than 1. Thus, sequential use of NF and RO was proved to be a promising treatment for sulfuric acid solutions contaminated by metals, such as POX effluent. In this context, a purified acid stream could be recovered in NF permeate, which could be further concentrated in RO. Recovered acid stream could be reused in the gold ore processing or commercialized. A metal-enriched stream could be also recovered in NF retentate and transferred to a subsequent metal recovery stage. In addition, considering the high acid rejection obtained through the proposed system, RO permeate could be used as recycling water.

Development of anaerobic digestion methods for palm oil mill effluent (POME) treatment.

PubMed

Poh, P E; Chong, M F

2009-01-01

Palm oil mill effluent (POME) is a highly polluting wastewater that pollutes the environment if discharged directly due to its high chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) concentration. Anaerobic digestion has been widely used for POME treatment with large emphasis placed on capturing the methane gas released as a product of this biodegradation treatment method. The anaerobic digestion method is recognized as a clean development mechanism (CDM) under the Kyoto protocol. Certified emission reduction (CER) can be obtained by using methane gas as a renewable energy. This review aims to discuss the various anaerobic treatments of POME and factors that influence the operation of anaerobic treatment. The POME treatment at both mesophilic and thermophilic temperature ranges are also analyzed.

40 CFR 435.14 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS OIL AND GAS EXTRACTION POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Offshore... 40 CFR 125.30-32, any existing point source subject to this subpart must achieve the following... Minimum of 1 mg/l and maintained as close to this concentration as possible. Sanitary M91M Floating solids...

40 CFR 440.33 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...) The concentration of pollutants discharged in mine drainage from mines, either open-pit or underground, that produce uranium ore, including mines using in-situ leach methods, shall not exceed: Effluent...). Except as provided in subpart L of this part and 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source...

40 CFR 440.33 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... concentration of pollutants discharged in mine drainage from mines, either open-pit or underground, that produce uranium ore, including mines using in-situ leach methods, shall not exceed: Effluent characteristic... provided in subpart L of this part and 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source subject to...

40 CFR 440.33 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

...) The concentration of pollutants discharged in mine drainage from mines, either open-pit or underground, that produce uranium ore, including mines using in-situ leach methods, shall not exceed: Effluent...). Except as provided in subpart L of this part and 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source...

40 CFR 440.33 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... concentration of pollutants discharged in mine drainage from mines, either open-pit or underground, that produce uranium ore, including mines using in-situ leach methods, shall not exceed: Effluent characteristic... provided in subpart L of this part and 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source subject to...

Effect of EDTA and Fe-EDTA complex concentration on TCF Kraft mill effluent degradability. Batch and continuous treatments.

PubMed

Diez, M C; Pouleurs, D; Navia, R; Vidal, G

2005-09-01

The effect of ethylenediaminetetracetic acid (EDTA) and Fe-EDTA complex on synthetic totally chlorine-free (TCF) effluent degradability in batch and continuously operating reactors was evaluated. Under batch treatment, the addition of EDTA and Fe-EDTA complex was studied in the range of 80 to 320 mg l(-1). Under continuously operated reactors, the Fe-EDTA complex concentration varied from 20 to 80 mg l(-1), and the hydraulic retention time (HRT) varied from 48 to 24 h. Sludge oxygen uptake rate (OUR) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal decreased when EDTA concentration increased in the influent under batch treatment; however, this inhibitory effect was reduced by the addition of Fe-EDTA complex. Without the addition of EDTA, COD removal decreased from 71% to 8%. The most efficient EDTA removal treatment (almost 10%) was the treatment of 80 mg l(-1) Fe-EDTA. Under continuously operated reactors, COD removal was greater than 57% in the synthetic TCF effluent with a Fe-EDTA concentration that varied from 20 to 80 mg l(-1); however, EDTA removal was lower than 25% in all cases. Synthetic TCF effluent with a Fe -EDTA concentration higher than 80 mg l(-1) could not be treated by the activated sludge treatment due to EDTA's inhibitory effect on the sludge.

Evaluating the influence of process parameters on soluble microbial products formation using response surface methodology coupled with grey relational analysis.

PubMed

Xu, Juan; Sheng, Guo-Ping; Luo, Hong-Wei; Fang, Fang; Li, Wen-Wei; Zeng, Raymond J; Tong, Zhong-Hua; Yu, Han-Qing

2011-01-01

Soluble microbial products (SMPs) present a major part of residual chemical oxygen demand (COD) in the effluents from biological wastewater treatment systems, and the SMP formation is greatly influenced by a variety of process parameters. In this study, response surface methodology (RSM) coupled with grey relational analysis (GRA) method was used to evaluate the effects of substrate concentration, temperature, NH(4)(+)-N concentration and aeration rate on the SMP production in batch activated sludge reactors. Carbohydrates were found to be the major component of SMP, and the influential priorities of these factors were: temperature>substrate concentration > aeration rate > NH(4)(+)-N concentration. On the basis of the RSM results, the interactive effects of these factors on the SMP formation were evaluated, and the optimal operating conditions for a minimum SMP production in such a batch activated sludge system also were identified. These results provide useful information about how to control the SMP formation of activated sludge and ensure the bioreactor high-quality effluent. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Performance of UASB septic tank for treatment of concentrated black water within DESAR concept.

PubMed

Kujawa-Roeleveld, K; Fernandes, T; Wiryawan, Y; Tawfik, A; Visser, M; Zeeman, G

2005-01-01

Separation of wastewater streams produced in households according to their origin, degree of pollution and affinity to a specific treatment constitutes a starting point in the DESAR concept (decentralised sanitation and reuse). Concentrated black water and kitchen waste carry the highest load of organic matter and nutrients from all waste(water)streams generated from different human activities. Anaerobic digestion of concentrated black water is a core technology in the DESAR concept. The applicability of the UASB septic tank for treatment of concentrated black water was investigated under two different temperatures, 15 and 25 degrees C. The removal of total COD was dependent on the operational temperature and attained 61 and 74% respectively. A high removal of the suspended COD of 88 and 94% respectively was measured. Effluent nutrients were mainly in the soluble form. Precipitation of phosphate was observed. Effective sludge/water separation, long HRT and higher operational temperature contributed to a reduction of E. coli. Based on standards there is little risk of contamination with heavy metals when treated effluent is to be applied in agriculture as fertiliser.

Evaluation of advanced wastewater treatment systems for water reuse in the era of advanced wastewater treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kon, Hisao; Watanabe, Masahiro

This study focuses on effluent COD concentration from wastewater treatment in regards to the reduction of pathogenic bacteria and trace substances in public waters. The main types of secondary wastewater treatment were conventional activated sludge processes. Recently, however, advance wastewater treatment processes have been developed aimed at the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus, and the effluent quality of these processes was analyzed in this study. Treatment processes for water reclamation that make effluent to meet the target water quality for reuse purposes were selected and also optimum design parameters for these processes were proposed. It was found that the treatment cost to water reclamation was greatly affected by the effluent COD of the secondary treatment. It is important to maintain low COD concentration in the secondary treated effluent. Therefore, it is considered that adequate cost benefits would be obtained by achieving target COD quality through shifting from a conventional activated sludge process to an advanced treatment process.

Hydrogeologic, water-quality and biogeochemical data collected at a septage-treatment facility, Orleans, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, October 1988 through December 1992

USGS Publications Warehouse

DeSimone, Leslie A.; Howes, Brian Louis

1995-01-01

Hydrogeologic, water-quality, and biogeochemical data were collected at the site of a septage- treatment facility in Orleans, Massachusetts, from October 1988 through December 1992, where a nitrogen-rich effluent is discharged to the underlying glacial aquifer. The data were collected as part of a study done by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Watershed Management, to investigate the effect of effluent discharge on ground-water quality and the transport of effluent nitrogen through the aquifer. Hydrogeologic data include lithologic logs and ground-water levels. Water-quality data include chemical analyses of the treated septage effluent, of ground water at the water table beneath the infiltration beds, and of ground water throughout the aquifer. Dissolved concentrations of dinitrogen gas, nitrous oxide, and dissolved inorganic carbon also were measured. Biogeochemical data include concentrations of total ammonium and solid-phase carbon and nitrogen in aquifer sediments and sediments from the effluent-infiltration beds.

Impact of distillery effluent on germination behaviour of Brassica napus L.

PubMed

Malaviya, Piyush; Sharma, Anuradha

2011-01-01

The study has been focused on effect of untreated distillery effluent (Devans Breweries Ltd., Jammu) on germination of gobi sarson (Brassica napus. L. var. Punjabi Special). Six treatments (E0.... E100) each having three replicates were made. E0 was taken as control in which tap water was used for irrigation of the plants. For E20, E40, E60, E80 and E100, different concentrations i.e. 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100% of effluent were used for irrigation, respectively. The 100% sample of distillery effluent analyzed for various physicochemical parameters showed acidic nature (pH 4.0) and higher values of COD (2496 mg l(-1)), TDS (799.7 mg l(-1)) and chlorides (1408 mg l(-1)). The parameters e.g. percent germination, germination index, speed of germination, and peak value were highest in treatment receiving 20% effluent concentration which also showed minimum values for percent inhibition, germination period, and delay index.

Nutrient loadings to streams of the continental United States from municipal and industrial effluent?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maupin, Molly A.; Ivahnenko, Tamara

2011-01-01

Data from the United States Environmental Protection Agency Permit Compliance System national database were used to calculate annual total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) loads to surface waters from municipal and industrial facilities in six major regions of the United States for 1992, 1997, and 2002. Concentration and effluent flow data were examined for approximately 118,250 facilities in 45 states and the District of Columbia. Inconsistent and incomplete discharge locations, effluent flows, and effluent nutrient concentrations limited the use of these data for calculating nutrient loads. More concentrations were reported for major facilities, those discharging more than 1 million gallons per day, than for minor facilities, and more concentrations were reported for TP than for TN. Analytical methods to check and improve the quality of the Permit Compliance System data were used. Annual loads were calculated using "typical pollutant concentrations" to supplement missing concentrations based on the type and size of facilities. Annual nutrient loads for over 26,600 facilities were calculated for at least one of the three years. Sewage systems represented 74% of all TN loads and 58% of all TP loads. This work represents an initial set of data to develop a comprehensive and consistent national database of point-source nutrient loads. These loads can be used to inform a wide range of water-quality management, watershed modeling, and research efforts at multiple scales.

Mercury in ground water, septage, leach-field effluent, and soils in residential areas, New Jersey coastal plain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barringer, J.L.; Szabo, Z.; Schneider, D.; Atkinson, W.D.; Gallagher, R.A.

2006-01-01

Water samples were collected from domestic wells at an unsewered residential area in Gloucester County, New Jersey where mercury (Hg) concentrations in well water were known to exceed the USEPA maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 2000 ng/L. This residential area (the CSL site) is representative of more than 70 such areas in southern New Jersey where about 600 domestic wells, sampled previously by State and county agencies, yielded water containing Hg at concentrations that exceed the MCL. Recent studies indicate that background concentrations of Hg in water from this unconfined sand and gravel aquifer system are < 10 ng/L. Additional sampling was conducted at the CSL site in order to better understand sources of Hg and potential Hg transport mechanisms in the areas with Hg-contaminated ground water. At the CSL site, concentrations of Hg were substantially lower (although still exceeding the MCL in some cases) in filtered water samples than in the unfiltered water samples collected previously from the same wells. Surfactants and elevated concentrations of sodium, chloride, nitrate, ammonium, and phosphate in water from domestic and observation wells indicated septic-system effects on water quality; detections of sulfide indicated localized reducing conditions. Hg concentrations in septage and leach-field effluent sampled at several other households in the region were low relative to the contaminant-level Hg concentrations in water from domestic wells. Relations of Hg concentrations in leach-field effluent to iron concentrations indicate that reductive dissolution of iron hydroxides in soils may release Hg to the percolating effluent. ?? 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Printing ink and paper recycling sources of TMDD in wastewater and rivers.

PubMed

Guedez, Arlen A; Püttmann, Wilhelm

2014-01-15

2,4,7,9-Tetramethyl-5-decyne-4,7-diol (TMDD) is a non-ionic surfactant which is preferentially used as defoamer in paints and printing ink and for the treatment of surfaces. Effluents of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been identified as the domination point sources for TMDD in rivers since the removal rate of the compound in the WWTPs is in general less than 70%. However, the dominating entry pathways of TMDD into the sewage were unknown so far. In this study effluents from both, municipal WWTPs with and without treatment of indirect industrial dischargers and from industrial WWTPs with direct discharge of wastewater into receiving rivers were analyzed for the first time to identify the proportions of TMDD coming from domestic wastewater and from various industrial sources. Moreover, rivers were samples before and after the influent of sewage water from WWTPs. The TMDD concentrations in the water samples were measured using solid phase extraction (SPE) followed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). High TMDD concentrations were found in rivers (up to 63.5 μg/L), and in effluents of WWTPs (up to 310 μg/L) affected by wastewater from paper recycling industry and factories producing paint and printing ink. Concentrations of TMDD revealed to be far higher in wastewater from factories processing recycled paper (up to 113 μg/L) compared to wastewater from factories not processing recycled paper (0.066 μg/L). The results indicate that the use of recycling paper in the paper production process is the dominating reason for increased TMDD concentrations in wastewaters and receiving rivers due to the wash out of TMDD from the paper impregnated with printing ink. Very high TMDD concentrations (up to 3300 μg/L) were also detected in wastewater from a printing ink factory and a paint factory. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Relative importance of N-nitrosodimethylamine compared to total N-nitrosamines in drinking waters.

PubMed

Dai, Ning; Mitch, William A

2013-04-16

A U.S.-wide occurrence survey conducted as part of the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 2 found that N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) was present in 34% of chloraminated drinking water samples but was the most prevalent of the six N-nitrosamines evaluated using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Method 521. If the U.S. EPA considers limiting exposures to N-nitrosamines as a group, a critical question is whether NDMA is the most prevalent N-nitrosamine or whether significant concentrations occur for N-nitrosamines other than those captured by EPA Method 521. A total N-nitrosamine assay was developed and applied to 36 drinking water plant effluents or distribution system samples from 11 utilities, including 9 utilities that practiced chloramination for secondary disinfection. Concurrent application of EPA Method 521 indicated that NDMA was the most prevalent of the Method 521 N-nitrosamines yet accounted for ∼5% of the total N-nitrosamine pool on a median basis. Among eight plant influent waters, NDMA was detected once, while total N-nitrosamines were detected in five samples, suggesting the importance of source water protection. Similar to NDMA, total N-nitrosamine concentrations in source waters increased after chloramination. Chloramines were applied to organic precursors serving as models for pristine natural organic matter, algal exudate, wastewater effluent, and polyDADMAC quaternary amine-based coagulation polymers. While high yields of NDMA were restricted to the wastewater effluent and polyDADMAC, high yields of total N-nitrosamines were observed from the algal exudate, the wastewater effluent, and polyDADMAC. The results suggest that N-nitrosamines as a class may be more prevalent than suggested by occurrence surveys conducted using EPA Method 521.

Occurrence and geodatabase mapping of three contaminants of emerging concern in receiving water and at effluent from waste water treatment plants - A first overview of the situation in the Republic of Ireland.

PubMed

Tahar, Alexandre; Tiedeken, Erin Jo; Rowan, Neil J

2018-03-01

This constitutes the first study to address occurrence and geodatabase mapping of the anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac (DCL) and the natural (17-beta-estradiol or E2) and synthetic (17-alpha-ethynylestradiol or EE2) estrogenic hormones in Republic of Ireland receiving waters over the period 1999 to 2015. Among these data, 317 samples came from concentration studies, while 205 were from effect-based studies. Monitoring data came from 16 waste water treatment plants (WWTPs), 23 water bodies (including rivers, lakes, marine and transitional waters) and 7 from domestic locations. Out of approximately 1000 WWPTs in the Republic of Ireland, only 16 have been monitored for at least one of these compounds of emerging concern (CECs). Diclofenac is found in treated effluents from 5 WWTPs at levels at least as high as other European WWPTs, and sometime higher. Measurements of E2 and EE2 in WWPT effluents were rare and effluents were more often evaluated for total estrogens; these CECs were generally not detected using conventional analytical methods because of limits of detection being too high compared to environmental concentrations and WFD environmental quality standards. There was good agreement between occurrence of these CEC and regional drug dispensing data in Ireland. Mapping the aforementioned data onto appropriate river basin catchment management tools will inform predictive and simulated risk determinations to inform investment in infrastructure that is necessary to protect rivers and beaches and economic activities that rely on clean water. There is a pressing commensurate need to refine/develop new analytical methods with low levels of detection for future CEC intervention. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 440.64 - New source performance standards (NSPS).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... attainable by the application of the best available demonstrated technology (BADT): (a) The concentration of pollutants discharged in mine drainage from tungsten mines shall not exceed: Effluent characteristic Effluent...

40 CFR 440.64 - New source performance standards (NSPS).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... attainable by the application of the best available demonstrated technology (BADT): (a) The concentration of pollutants discharged in mine drainage from tungsten mines shall not exceed: Effluent characteristic Effluent...

Site Specific Metal Criteria Developed Using Kentucky Division of Water Procedures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kszos, L.A.; Phipps, T.L.

1999-10-09

Alternative limits for Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn were developed for treated wastewater from four outfalls at a Gaseous Diffusion Plant. Guidance from the Kentucky Division of Water (KDOW) was used to (1) estimate the toxicity of the effluents using water fleas (Ceriodaphnia dubia) and fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) larvae; (2) determine total recoverable and dissolved concentrations of Cu, Pb, Ni, and Zn ; (3) calculate ratios of dissolved metal (DM) to total recoverable metal (TRM); and (4) assess chemical characteristics of the effluents. Three effluent samples from each outfall were collected during each of six test periods; thus, amore » total of 18 samples from each outfall were evaluated for toxicity, DM and TRM. Subsamples were analyzed for alkalinity, hardness, pH, conductivity, and total suspended solids. Short-term (6 or 7 d), static renewal toxicity tests were conducted according to EPA methodology. Ceriodaphnia reproduction was reduced in one test of effluent from Outfall A , and effluent from Outfall B was acutely toxic to both test species during one test. However, the toxicity was not related to the metals present in the effluents. Of the 18 samples from each outfall, more than 65% of the metal concentrations were estimated quantities. With the exception of two total recoverable Cu values in Outfall C, all metal concentrations were below the permit limits and the federal water quality criteria. Ranges of TR for all outfalls were: Cd, ,0.1-0.4 {micro}g/L; Cr,1.07-3.93 {micro}g/L; Cu, 1.59-7.24 {micro}g/L; Pb, <0.1-3.20 {micro}g/L; Ni, 0.82-10.7 {micro}g/L, Zn, 4.75-67.3 {micro}g/L. DM:TRM ratios were developed for each outfall. The proportion of dissolved Cu in the effluents ranged from 67 to 82%; the proportion of dissolved Ni ranged from 84 to 91%; and the proportion of dissolved Zn ranged from 74 to 94%. The proportion of dissolved Pb in the effluents was considerably lower (37-51%). TRM and/or DM concentrations of Cu, Ni, Pb, or Zn differed significantly from outfall to outfall but the DM:TRM ratios for Cu, Ni, and Pb did not. Through the use of the KDOW method, the total recoverable metal measured in an effluent is adjusted by the proportion of dissolved metal present. The resulting alternative total recoverable metal concentration is reported in lieu of the measured total recoverable concentration for determining compliance with permit limits. For example, the monthly average permit limit for Pb in Outfall B (3 {micro}g/L) was exceeded at the Gaseous Diffusion Plant. Through the use of the KDOW method for calculating an alternative total recoverable metal concentration, 4.98 {micro}g Pb/L in Outfall B would be reported as 3.00 {micro}g/L, a difference of > 39%. Thus, the alternative, calculated total recoverable metal concentration provides the discharger with a ''cushion'' for meeting permit limits.« less

Modeling effluent distribution and nitrate transport through an on-site wastewater system.

PubMed

Hassan, G; Reneau, R B; Hagedorn, C; Jantrania, A R

2008-01-01

Properly functioning on-site wastewater systems (OWS) are an integral component of the wastewater system infrastructure necessary to renovate wastewater before it reaches surface or ground waters. There are a large number of factors, including soil hydraulic properties, effluent quality and dispersal, and system design, that affect OWS function. The ability to evaluate these factors using a simulation model would improve the capability to determine the impact of wastewater application on the subsurface soil environment. An existing subsurface drip irrigation system (SDIS) dosed with sequential batch reactor effluent (SBRE) was used in this study. This system has the potential to solve soil and site problems that limit OWS and to reduce the potential for environmental degradation. Soil water potentials (Psi(s)) and nitrate (NO(3)) migration were simulated at 55- and 120-cm depths within and downslope of the SDIS using a two-dimensional code in HYDRUS-3D. Results show that the average measured Psi(s) were -121 and -319 cm, whereas simulated values were -121 and -322 cm at 55- and 120-cm depths, respectively, indicating unsaturated conditions. Average measured NO(3) concentrations were 0.248 and 0.176 mmol N L(-1), whereas simulated values were 0.237 and 0.152 mmol N L(-1) at 55- and 120-cm depths, respectively. Observed unsaturated conditions decreased the potential for NO(3) to migrate in more concentrated plumes away from the SDIS. The agreement (high R(2) values approximately 0.97) between the measured and simulated Psi(s) and NO(3) concentrations indicate that HYDRUS-3D adequately simulated SBRE flow and NO(3) transport through the soil domain under a range of environmental and effluent application conditions.

Occurrence and distribution of psychoactive compounds and their metabolites in the urban water cycle of Berlin (Germany).

PubMed

Hass, Ulrike; Duennbier, Uwe; Massmann, Gudrun

2012-11-15

The occurrence and distribution of six psychoactive compounds (primidone, phenobarbital, oxazepam, diazepam, meprobamate, and pyrithyldione) and a metabolite of primidone (phenylethylmalonamide) were investigated in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents, surface water, groundwater of a bank filtration site, raw and final drinking water, and in groundwater affected by former sewage irrigation. Primidone and its metabolite phenylethylmalonamide were found to be ubiquitous in environmental water samples in Berlin. Maximum concentrations of 0.87 and 0.42 μg/L, respectively, were encountered in WWTP effluents. Both compounds are apparently not removed when passaging through the different compartments of the water cycle and concentrations are only reduced by dilution. Phenobarbital was present at nearly every stage of the Berlin water cycle with the exception of raw and final drinking water. The highest concentrations of phenobarbital (up to 0.96 μg/L) were measured in groundwater influenced by former sewage irrigation. Oxazepam was only present in WWTP effluents and surface waters (up to 0.18 μg/L), while diazepam was not detected in any matrix. Due to their withdrawal from the German market years ago, the pharmaceuticals meprobamate and pyrithyldione were only found in sewage farm groundwater (up to 0.50 and 0.04 μg/L, respectively) and, in case of meprobamate, also in decade old bank filtrate (0.03 μg/L). Our results indicate a high persistence of some of the investigated compounds in the aquatic system. As a consequence, these pollutants may potentially reach drinking water resources via bank filtration if present in WWTP effluents and/or surface waters in partly closed water cycles such as Berlin's. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Behaviour of five pharmaceuticals with high baseline toxicity in wastewater treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Driezum, Inge; McArdell, Christa; Fenner, Kathrin; Helbling, Damian; van Breukelen, Boris

2013-04-01

Many pharmaceuticals enter the aquatic environment through sewer systems and are partially removed in wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) by sorption to sludge biomass or biodegradation. Biodegradation often does not lead to complete mineralization but to the formation of stable transformation products (TPs), which might still be harmful to the environment. Recently, a study was undertaken to assess the risk of the top 100 pharmaceuticals from wastewater of a hospital in Switzerland. The predicted toxicity was linked to the predicted environmental concentration in order to assess overall risk potential. In this study, biodegradation and sorption studies were carried out on the top five selected pharmaceuticals (amiodarone, atorvastatin, clotrimazole, meclozine and ritonavir). Potential TPs that are formed during activated sludge treatment were identified and concentrations of both the parent compounds and TPs were measured in the WWTP. With this data, the fate of these compounds was modeled in a WWTP system using a multi-reactor steady-state WWTP model. This study showed that sorption was the most important loss process for amiodarone and meclozine. They had an elimination of more than 99%. Sorption was also the main loss process for clotrimazole, but it was combined with some biodegradation. For ritonavir, both biodegradation and sorption played a role in the loss of this compound. The most important removal process for atorvastatin was biodegradation. Four TPs, formed through β-oxidation and monohydroxilation, were identified in both the activated sludge batch reactors and the WWTP effluent. In the WWTP effluent, only atorvastatin, clotrimazole and ritonavir were found. All identified TPs of atorvastatin were detected in the effluent. Risk quotients (RQ) of all five pharmaceuticals were estimated based on effluent concentration and baseline toxicity and ranged from zero to 2.14. Only ritonavir potentially poses an ecotoxicological risk for the aquatic environment.

Investigation of corrosion caused by constituents of refinery wastewater effluent used as circulating cooling water.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhongzhi; Song, Shaofu; Huang, Jie; Ji, Lin; Wu, Fangyun

2003-01-01

The corrosion rate of steel plate using single-factor, multifactor, and complex water systems was investigated via refinery wastewater effluents used as circulating cooling water. The results show that the primary corrosion factors of steel depend on the characteristics of the ions, the formation of the oxidized coating, the diffusion of dissolved oxygen, and other complex factors, although ions such as chloride, calcium, and carbonate play an important role. The corrosion rate of carbon steel exhibits two trends: The corrosion rate is high at low conductivity, increases to a maximum, and then decreases and becomes stable with increasing conductivity, as is the case with chloride, sulfate, nitrate and calcium ions. On the other hand, the corrosion rate is highest at low conductivity and then decreases and becomes stable with increasing conductivity, as is the case with carbonate, silicate, and sodium nitrate ions. Research results indicate that the anticorrosive ability is minimal at low conductivity; but is excellent at high conductivity. Pretreatment of low-conductivity water using air flotation and clarification to decrease the concentrations of chloride, calcium, and carbonate ions to a suitable level to satisfy the anticorrosion requirements is required. However, it is not necessary to significantly reduce the salt concentration or conductivity of the water by osmosis or ion exchange to obtain an anticorrosion effect when reusing wastewater effluents as circulating cooling water.

Toxicity assessment of tannery effluent treated by an optimized photo-Fenton process.

PubMed

Borba, Fernando Henrique; Módenes, Aparecido Nivaldo; Espinoza-Quiñones, Fernando Rodolfo; Manenti, Diego Ricieri; Bergamasco, Rosangela; Mora, Nora Diaz

2013-01-01

In this work, an optimized photo-Fenton process was applied to remove pollutants from tannery industrial effluent (TIE) with its final toxicity level being assessed by a lettuce-seed-based bioassay test. A full 33 factorial design was applied for the optimization of long-term photo-Fenton experiments. The oPtimum conditions of the photo-Fenton process were attained at concentration values of 0.3 g Fe(2+) L(-1) and 20 g H2O2 L(-1) and pH3, for 120 min UV irradiation time. Reactor operating parameter (ROP) effects on the removal of chemical oxygen demand, colour, turbidity, total suspended solids and total volatile solids were evaluated, suggesting that a broad range of ROP values are also suitable to give results very near to those of the photo-Fenton experiments under optimal conditions. Based on the low calculated median lethal dose (LD50) values from a lettuce-seed-based bioassay test, we suggest that recalcitrant substances are present in treated TIE samples. A possible cause of the high toxicity level could partly be attributed to the nitrate concentration, which was not completely abated by the photo-Fenton process. Apart from this, the photo-Fenton process can be used as a part of an industrial effluent treatment system in order to abate high organic pollutant loads.

Determination and Distribution of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Rivers, Sediments and Wastewater Effluents in Vhembe District, South Africa

PubMed Central

Edokpayi, Joshua N.; Odiyo, John O.; Popoola, Oluwaseun E.; Msagati, Titus A. M.

2016-01-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are very toxic and persistent environmental contaminants. This study was undertaken to assess the concentrations and possible sources of 16 PAHs (Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) classified by the United State Environmental Protection Agency as priority pollutants in water and sediments of the Mvudi and Nzhelele Rivers. Effluents from Thohoyandou wastewater treatment plant and Siloam waste stabilization ponds were also investigated. Diagnostic ratios were used to evaluate the possible sources of PAHs. PAHs in the water samples were extracted using 1:1 dichloromethane and n-hexane mixtures, while those in the sediment samples were extracted with 1:1 acetone and dichloromethane using an ultrasonication method. The extracts were purified using an SPE technique and reconstituted in n-hexane before analyses with a gas chromatograph time of flight—mass spectrometer. The results obtained indicate the prevalence of high molecular weight PAHs in all the samples. PAHs concentrations in water and sediment samples from all the sampling sites were in the range of 13.174–26.382 mg/L and 27.10–55.93 mg/kg, respectively. Combustion of biomass was identified as the major possible source of PAHs. Effluents from wastewater treatment facilities were also considered as major anthropogenic contributions to the levels of PAHs found in both river water and sediments. Mvudi and Nzhelele Rivers show moderate to high contamination level of PAHs. PMID:27043597

Laboratory and field evaluation of a flushable oxic limestone drain for treatment of net-acidic drainage from a flooded anthracite mine, Pennsylvania, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cravotta, C.A.

2008-01-01

This paper demonstrates the use of dissolution-rate data obtained in the laboratory to indicate the potential quality of effluent from a field-scale oxic limestone drain (OLD) treatment system for neutralization of dilute acidic mine drainage (AMD). Effluent from the Reevesdale Mine South Dip Tunnel, a large source of AMD and base flow to the Wabash Creek and Little Schuylkill River in the Southern Anthracite Coalfield of east-central Pennsylvania, is representative of AMD with low concentrations but high loadings of dissolved Fe, Al and other metals because of a high flow rate. In January 2003, rapid neutralization of the AMD from the Reevesdale Mine was achieved in laboratory tests of its reaction rate with crushed limestone in closed, collapsible containers (Cubitainers). The tests showed that net-alkaline effluent could be achieved with retention times greater than 3 h and that effluent alkalinities and associated dissolution rates were equivalent for Fe(OH)3-coated and uncoated limestone. On the basis of the laboratory results, a flushable OLD containing 1450 metric tons of high-purity calcitic limestone followed by two 0.7-m deep wetlands were constructed at the Reevesdale Mine. During the first year of operation, monthly data at the inflow, outflow and intermediate points within the treatment system were collected (April 2006-2007). The inflow to the treatment system ranged from 6.8 to 27.4 L/s, with median pH of 4.7, net acidity of 9.1 mg/L CaCO3, and concentrations of dissolved Al, Fe and Mn of 1.0, 1.9 and 0.89 mg/L, respectively. The corresponding effluent from the OLD had computed void-volume retention times of 4.5-18 h, with median pH of 6.6, net acidity of -93.2 mg/L CaCO3, and concentrations of dissolved Al, Fe and Mn of <0.1, 0.08 and 0.52 mg/L, respectively. The wetlands below the OLD were effective for retaining metal-rich solids flushed at monthly or more frequent intervals from the OLD, but otherwise had little effect on the effluent quality. During the first year of operation, approximately 43 metric tons of limestone were dissolved and 2 metric tons of Al, Fe and Mn were precipitated within the OLD. However, because of the accumulation of these metals within the OLD and possibly other debris from the mine, the effectiveness of the treatment system declined. Despite the installation of a flush-pipe network at the base of the OLD to remove precipitated solids, the limestone bed clogged near the inflow. Consequently, a large fraction of the AMD bypassed the treatment system. To promote flow through the OLD, the flush pipes were open continuously during the last 4 months of the study; however, this effluent was only partially treated because short-circuiting through the pipes decreased contact between the effluent and limestone. A reconfiguration of the flow path through the limestone bed from horizontal to vertical upward could increase the limestone surface area exposed to the metal-laden influent, increase the cross-sectional area perpendicular to flow, decrease the flow path for solids removal, and, consequently, decrease potential for clogging.

W-007H B Plant Process Condensate Treatment Facility. Revision 3

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rippy, G.L.

1995-01-20

B Plant Process Condensate (BCP) liquid effluent stream is the condensed vapors originating from the operation of the B Plant low-level liquid waste concentration system. In the past, the BCP stream was discharged into the soil column under a compliance plan which expired January 1, 1987. Currently, the BCP stream is inactive, awaiting restart of the E-23-3 Concentrator. B Plant Steam Condensate (BCS) liquid effluent stream is the spent steam condensate used to supply heat to the E-23-3 Concentrator. The tube bundles in the E-23-3 Concentrator discharge to the BCS. In the past, the BCS stream was discharged into themore » soil column. Currently, the BCS stream is inactive. This project shall provide liquid effluent systems (BCP/BCS/BCE) capable of operating for a minimum of 20 years, which does not include the anticipated decontamination and decommissioning (D and D) period.« less

Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances in wastewater: Significance of unknown precursors, manufacturing shifts, and likely AFFF impacts.

PubMed

Houtz, Erika F; Sutton, Rebecca; Park, June-Soo; Sedlak, Margaret

2016-05-15

In late 2014, wastewater effluent samples were collected from eight treatment plants that discharge to San Francisco (SF) Bay in order to assess poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) currently released from municipal and industrial sources. In addition to direct measurement of twenty specific PFAS analytes, the total concentration of perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAA) precursors was also indirectly measured by adapting a previously developed oxidation assay. Effluent from six municipal treatment plants contained similar amounts of total PFASs, with highest median concentrations of PFHxA (24 ng/L), followed by PFOA (23 ng/L), PFBA (19 ng/L), and PFOS (15 ng/L). Compared to SF Bay municipal wastewater samples collected in 2009, the short chain perfluorinated carboxylates PFBA and PFHxA rose significantly in concentration. Effluent samples from two treatment plants contained much higher levels of PFASs: over two samplings, wastewater from one municipal plant contained an average of 420 ng/L PFOS and wastewater from an airport industrial treatment plant contained 560 ng/L PFOS, 390 ng/L 6:2 FtS, 570 ng/L PFPeA, and 500 ng/L PFHxA. The elevated levels observed in effluent samples from these two plants are likely related to aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) sources impacting their influent; PFASs attributable to both current use and discontinued AFFF formulations were observed. Indirectly measured PFAA precursor compounds accounted for 33%-63% of the total molar concentration of PFASs across all effluent samples and the PFAA precursors indicated by the oxidation assay were predominately short-chained. PFAS levels in SF Bay effluent samples reflect the manufacturing shifts towards shorter chained PFASs while also demonstrating significant impacts from localized usage of AFFF. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

LEVELS OF SYNTHETIC MUSK COMPOUNDS IN ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

To test the ruggedness of a newly developed analytical method for synthetic musks, a 1-year monthly monitoring of synthetic musks in water and biota was conducted for LakeMead (near Las Vegas, Nevada) as well as for combined sewage-dedicated effluent streams feeding Lake Mead. Data obtained from analyses of combined effluent streams from three municipal sewage treatment plants, from the effluent-receiving lake water, and from whole carp (Cyprinus carpio) tissue, indicated bioconcentration of synthetic musks in carp (1400-4500 pg/g). That same data were evaluated for the prediction of levels of synthetic musk compounds in fish, using values from the source (sewage treatment plant effluent [STP]). This study confirmed the presence of polycyclic and nitro musks in STP effluent, Lake Mead water, and carp. The concentrations of the polycyclic and nitro musks found in Lake Mead carp were considerably lower than previous studies in Germany, other European countries, and Japan. The carp samples were found to have mostly the mono-amino-metabolites of the nitro musks and intact polycyclic musks, principally HHCB (Galaxolide®) and AHTN (Tonalide®). Finally, the determination of sufficiently high levels of Galaxolide® and 4-amino musk xylene in STP effluent may be used to infer the presence of trace levels of other classes of musk compounds in the lake water. To be presented is an overview of the chemistry, the monitoring methodology, andthe statistical evaluation of con

[Research of input water ratio's impact on the quality of effluent water from hydrolysis reactor].

PubMed

Liang, Kang-Qiang; Xiong, Ya; Qi, Mao-Rong; Lin, Xiu-Jun; Zhu, Min; Song, Ying-Hao

2012-11-01

Based on high SS/BOD and low C/N ratio of waste water of municipal wastewater treatment plant, the structure of currently existing hydrolysis reactor was reformed to improve the influent quality. In order to strengthen the sludge hydrolysis and improve effluent water quality, two layers water distributors were set up so that the sludge hydrolysis zone was formed between the two layers distribution. For the purpose of the hydrolysis reactor not only plays the role of the primary sedimentation tank but also improves the effluent water biodegradability, input water ratios of the upper and lower water distributor in the experiment were changed to get the best input water ratio to guide the large-scale application of this sort hydrolysis reactor. Results show, four kinds of input water ratio have varying degrees COD and SS removal efficiency, however, input water ratio for 1 : 1 can substantially increase SCOD/COD ratio and VFA concentration of effluent water compared with the other three input water ratios. To improve the effluent biodegradability, input water ratio for 1 : 1 was chosen for the best input water ratio. That was the ratio of flow of upper distributor was 50%, and the ratio of the lower one was 50%, at this case it can reduce the processing burden of COD and SS for follow-up treatment, but also improve the biodegradability of the effluent.

Formation of nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) during chlorine disinfection of wastewater effluents prior to use in irrigation systems.

PubMed

Pehlivanoglu-Mantas, Elif; Hawley, Elisabeth L; Deeb, Rula A; Sedlak, David L

2006-01-01

The probable human carcinogen nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is produced when wastewater effluent is disinfected with chlorine. In systems where wastewater effluent is used for landscape or crop irrigation, relatively high chlorine doses (i.e., up to 2,000,mg-min/L) are often used to ensure adequate disinfection and to minimize biofouling in the irrigation system. To assess the formation of NDMA in such systems, samples were collected from several locations in full-scale wastewater treatment systems and their associated irrigation systems. Up to 460 ng/L of NDMA was produced in full-scale systems in which chloramines were formed when wastewater effluent was disinfected with chlorine in the presence of ammonia. Less than 20 ng/L of NDMA was produced in systems that used free chlorine (i.e., HOCl/OCl(-)) for disinfection in the absence of ammonia. The production of NDMA in ammonia-containing systems was correlated with the concentration of NDMA precursors in the wastewater effluent and the overall dose of chlorine applied. Much of the NDMA formation occurred in chlorine contact basins or in storage basins where water that contained chloramines was held after disinfection. When landscape or crop irrigation is practiced with ammonia-containing wastewater effluent, NDMA production can be controlled by use of lower chlorine doses or by application of alternative disinfectants.

Multiple-endpoints gene alteration-based (MEGA) assay: A toxicogenomics approach for water quality assessment of wastewater effluents.

PubMed

Fukushima, Toshikazu; Hara-Yamamura, Hiroe; Nakashima, Koji; Tan, Lea Chua; Okabe, Satoshi

2017-12-01

Wastewater effluents contain a significant number of toxic contaminants, which, even at low concentrations, display a wide variety of toxic actions. In this study, we developed a multiple-endpoints gene alteration-based (MEGA) assay, a real-time PCR-based transcriptomic analysis, to assess the water quality of wastewater effluents for human health risk assessment and management. Twenty-one genes from the human hepatoblastoma cell line (HepG2), covering the basic health-relevant stress responses such as response to xenobiotics, genotoxicity, and cytotoxicity, were selected and incorporated into the MEGA assay. The genes related to the p53-mediated DNA damage response and cytochrome P450 were selected as markers for genotoxicity and response to xenobiotics, respectively. Additionally, the genes that were dose-dependently regulated by exposure to the wastewater effluents were chosen as markers for cytotoxicity. The alterations in the expression of an individual gene, induced by exposure to the wastewater effluents, were evaluated by real-time PCR and the results were validated by genotoxicity (e.g., comet assay) and cell-based cytotoxicity tests. In summary, the MEGA assay is a real-time PCR-based assay that targets cellular responses to contaminants present in wastewater effluents at the transcriptional level; it is rapid, cost-effective, and high-throughput and can thus complement any chemical analysis for water quality assessment and management. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessing element distribution and speciation in a stream at abandoned Pb-Zn mining site by combining classical, in-situ DGT and modelling approaches.

PubMed

Omanović, Dario; Pižeta, Ivanka; Vukosav, Petra; Kovács, Elza; Frančišković-Bilinski, Stanislav; Tamás, János

2015-04-01

The distribution and speciation of elements along a stream subjected to neutralised acid mine drainage (NAMD) effluent waters (Mátra Mountain, Hungary; Toka stream) were studied by a multi-methodological approach: dissolved and particulate fractions of elements were determined by HR-ICPMS, whereas speciation was carried out by DGT, supported by speciation modelling performed by Visual MINTEQ. Before the NAMD discharge, the Toka is considered as a pristine stream, with averages of dissolved concentrations of elements lower than world averages. A considerable increase of element concentrations caused by effluent water inflow is followed by a sharp or gradual concentration decrease. A large difference between total and dissolved concentrations was found for Fe, Al, Pb, Cu, Zn and As in effluent water and at the first downstream site, with high correlation factors between elements in particulate fraction, indicating their common behaviour, governed by the formation of ferri(hydr)oxides (co)precipitates. In-situ speciation by the DGT technique revealed that Zn, Cd, Ni, Co, Mn and U were predominantly present as a labile, potentially bioavailable fraction (>90%). The formation of strong complexes with dissolved organic matter (DOM) resulted in a relatively low DGT-labile concentration of Cu (42%), while low DGT-labile concentrations of Fe (5%) and Pb (12%) were presumably caused by their existence in colloidal (particulate) fraction which is not accessible to DGT. Except for Fe and Pb, a very good agreement between DGT-labile concentrations and those predicted by the applied speciation model was obtained, with an average correlation factor of 0.96. This study showed that the in-situ DGT technique in combination with model-predicted speciation and classical analysis of samples could provide a reasonable set of data for the assessment of the water quality status (WQS), as well as for the more general study of overall behaviour of the elements in natural waters subjected to high element loads. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Treatment of emerging contaminants in wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) effluents by solar photocatalysis using low TiO2 concentrations.

PubMed

Prieto-Rodriguez, L; Miralles-Cuevas, S; Oller, I; Agüera, A; Li Puma, G; Malato, S

2012-04-15

The optimal photocatalyst concentration for industrial wastewater treatment in current photoreactor designs is several hundreds of milligrams per liter. However, the elimination of emerging contaminants (ECs), which are present at extremely low concentrations in waste water treatment plants (WWTP) effluents might be accomplished at much lower catalyst (TiO(2)) concentrations. One of the main drawbacks of reducing catalyst loading below the optimum is the loss of useful photons which instead are transmitted through the TiO(2) suspension without being absorbed by the catalyst. Accordingly, in this work, laboratory and solar pilot-scale experiments were performed with real WWTP effluents to evaluate the kinetics of photocatalytic degradation of 52 emerging contaminants under realistic (ppb) concentrations. The analysis of the samples was accomplished by solid phase extraction (SPE) followed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). In view of the results, low concentrations of TiO(2) of the order of tens of milligrams per liter were found to be insufficient for the degradation of the ECs in photoreactors with a short light-path length (29 cm). However, it was established that solar reactors of diameters of several hundreds of millimetres could be used for the efficient removal of ECs from WWTP effluents. The results presented show a general methodology for selecting the most efficient reactor diameter on the basis of the desired catalyst concentration. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of textile auxiliaries on the biodegradation of dyehouse effluent in activated sludge.

PubMed

Arslan Alaton, Idil; Insel, Güçlü; Eremektar, Gülen; Germirli Babuna, Fatos; Orhon, Derin

2006-03-01

The textile industry is confronted with serious environmental problems associated with its immense wastewater discharge, substantial pollution load, extremely high salinity, and alkaline, heavily coloured effluent. Particular sources of recalcitrance and toxicity in dyehouse effluent are two frequently used textile auxiliaries; i.e. dye carriers and biocidal finishing agents. The present experimental work reports the observation of scientific and practical significance related with the effect of two commercially important textile dye carriers and two biocidal finishing agents on biological activated sludge treatment at a textile preparation, dyeing and finishing plant in Istanbul. Respirometric measurements of the dyehouse effluent spiked with the selected textile chemicals were carried out for the assessment of the "readily biodegradable COD fraction" of the wastewater. The respirometric data obtained to visualize the effect of the selected textile auxiliaries on biomass activity was evaluated by an adopted activated sludge model. Results have indicated that the tested biocides did not exert any significant inhibitory effect on the treatment performance of the activated sludge reactor at the concentrations usually encountered in the final, total dyehouse effluent. The situation with the dye carriers was inherently different; one dye carrier appeared to be highly toxic and caused serious inhibition of the microbial respirometric activity, whereas the other dye carrier, also known as the more ecological alternative, i.e. the "Eco-Carrier", appeared to be biodegradable. Finally, the respirometric profile obtained for the Eco-Carrier was described by a simplified respirometric model.

Enhancement of struvite pellets crystallization in a full-scale plant using an industrial grade magnesium product.

PubMed

Crutchik, D; Morales, N; Vázquez-Padín, J R; Garrido, J M

2017-02-01

A full-scale struvite crystallization system was operated for the treatment of the centrate obtained from the sludge anaerobic digester in a municipal wastewater treatment plant. Additionally, the feasibility of an industrial grade Mg(OH) 2 as a cheap magnesium and alkali source was also investigated. The struvite crystallization plant was operated for two different periods: period I, in which an influent with low phosphate concentration (34.0 mg P·L -1 ) was fed to the crystallization plant; and period II, in which an influent with higher phosphate concentration (68.0 mg P·L -1 ) was used. A high efficiency of phosphorus recovery by struvite crystallization was obtained, even when the effluent treated had a high level of alkalinity. Phosphorus recovery percentage was around 77%, with a phosphate concentration in the effluent between 10.0 and 30.0 mg P·L -1 . The experiments gained struvite pellets of 0.5-5.0 mm size. Moreover, the consumption of Mg(OH) 2 was estimated at 1.5 mol Mg added·mol P recovered -1 . Thus, industrial grade Mg(OH) 2 can be an economical alternative as magnesium and alkali sources for struvite crystallization at industrial scale.

Carbon biofixation and lipid composition of an acidophilic microalga cultivated on treated wastewater supplied with different CO2 levels.

PubMed

Neves, Fábio de Farias; Hoinaski, Leonardo; Rörig, Leonardo Rubi; Derner, Roberto Bianchini; de Melo Lisboa, Henrique

2018-05-15

This study evaluated productivity, CO 2 biofixation, and lipid content in biomass of the acidophilic microalga Chlamydomonas acidophila LAFIC-004 cultivated with five different carbon dioxide concentrations. The influence of carbon dioxide concentration on nutrient removal and pH was also investigated. Treated wastewater (secondary effluent) was used as culture medium. Five experimental setups were tested: T-0% - injection of atmospheric air (0.038% CO 2 ), T-5% (5% CO 2 ), T-10% (10% CO 2 ), T-15% (15% CO 2 ) and T-20% (20% CO 2 ). The T-5% and T-10% experiments showed the highest values of productivity and CO 2 biofixation, and maximum biomass dry weight was 0.48 ± 0.02 and 0.51 ± 0.03 g L -1 , respectively. This acidophilic microalga proved to be suitable for carbon biofixation and removal of nutrients from secondary effluent of wastewater treatment plants with high CO 2 concentration. All assays were performed without pH control. This microalga species presented high lipid content. However, fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) are not suitable for biodiesel use.

Global Assessment of Bisphenol A in the Environment

PubMed Central

Corrales, Jone; Kristofco, Lauren A.; Steele, W. Baylor; Yates, Brian S.; Breed, Christopher S.; Williams, E. Spencer

2015-01-01

Because bisphenol A (BPA) is a high production volume chemical, we examined over 500 peer-reviewed studies to understand its global distribution in effluent discharges, surface waters, sewage sludge, biosolids, sediments, soils, air, wildlife, and humans. Bisphenol A was largely reported from urban ecosystems in Asia, Europe, and North America; unfortunately, information was lacking from large geographic areas, megacities, and developing countries. When sufficient data were available, probabilistic hazard assessments were performed to understand global environmental quality concerns. Exceedances of Canadian Predicted No Effect Concentrations for aquatic life were >50% for effluents in Asia, Europe, and North America but as high as 80% for surface water reports from Asia. Similarly, maximum concentrations of BPA in sediments from Asia were higher than Europe. Concentrations of BPA in wildlife, mostly for fish, ranged from 0.2 to 13 000 ng/g. We observed 60% and 40% exceedences of median levels by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in Europe and Asia, respectively. These findings highlight the utility of coordinating global sensing of environmental contaminants efforts through integration of environmental monitoring and specimen banking to identify regions for implementation of more robust environmental assessment and management programs. PMID:26674671

Impact of a diversion of sewage effluent on a seaweed farm in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, X.; Uchiyama, Y.; Suzue, Y.

2016-12-01

The Seto Inland Sea (SIS), Japan, is a partially stratified, tidally driven estuary, comprising several semi-enclosed basins with complex coastlines and thousands of islands as well as substantial influences from the Kuroshio. Even though water pollution has been improved adequately because of related policies enacted, Osaka Bay (OB), a part of SIS, still suffers mostly due to sewage effluent resulted from the densely populated hinterland. Tarumi Sewage Treatment Plant (TSTP) is one of the largest wastewater treatment plants in OB, located near Akashi Strait (AS) where energetic and complex tidal flow occurs. The surrounding area is famous for a seaweed farming industry, while the local fishermen keep claiming possible impacts of TSTP effluent on a farm. Thus a new outfall was constructed away from the farm as a remedy, although its effect has not been extensively investigated yet. Therefore, a numerical modeling is required to assess the present situation and to further utilize it for improvement of the outfall design. In the present study, we develop a quadruple-nested high-resolution ocean model based on ROMS. The sewage effluent capability is implemented into the innermost ROMS-L4 model with horizontal grid spacing of 20 m as an additional Eulerian passive tracer model based on Uchiyama et al. (2014). Non-dimensional concentration of sewage effluent is applied at the locations of the two existing outfalls as a bottom-released freshwater plume at a constant volume rate of 180,000 m3/day. The normal sewage discharge results in eastward transport with frequent intrusions into the seaweed farm to the east of TSTP. The diversion discharge from the new outfall evidently alters salinity and tracer concentration in the farm owing to counter-clockwise residual circulation formed near AS that promotes southward (offshore) transport. The eastward effluent transport is reduced significantly by about 50 % on and around the eastern shore including the farm.

Nutrient leaching from extensive green roofs with different substrate compositions: a laboratory study.

PubMed

Zhang, Wei; Zhong, Xing; Che, Wu

2018-02-01

To investigate nutrient leaching from extensive green roofs, green roof platforms were established to investigate the effluent quantity and quality during artificial rainfall. When the influent volume reached three times the empty bed volume, for which the cumulative rainfall was around 300 mm, the effluent TP and COD concentrations of green roof platforms filled with peat soil did not tend to stabilize. For a long-term operation, the substrate depths had little significant influence on TN, TP and COD concentrations of the green roof effluents. A normalized cumulative emission process method was proposed to discuss the difference in various pollutant leaching processes. Obvious differences in the leaching process of different contaminants for green roof platforms filled with various substrates were observed. For the green roof filled with modified substrates, the nitrogen and phosphorus pollutant leaching rates were relatively high in the initial stage of green roof operation and the phosphorus leaching rate was higher than that of nitrogen. The green roof is a sink for TN, but not for TP and COD in this study. The outcomes are critical for the selection of green roof substrates and also contribute to green roof maintenance.

[Treatment of carbonization effluent by the ultrasonic radiation and activated sludge process].

PubMed

Ning, Ping; Xu, Jinqiu; Huang, Dongbin; Ma, Xiaoli; Xu, Xiaojun; Li, Ziyan

2003-05-01

The paper deals with the degradation of organic pollutants by the ultrasonic irradiation-activated sludge process. The treatment of the real coking wastewater of Kunming coke making-gas plant was studied with the water quality model. Using the ultrasonic irradiation-activated sludge process the organic pollutants in the real coking wastewater can be degraded effectively. The influence factors of the ultrasonic degradation effect such as initial concentration, aerated gas and ultrasonic density were investigated and mechanism was explored. The result shows that the ultrasonic degradation effect was high with the decrease of initial concentration of the CODCr, the presence of aerated gas and the increase of ultrasonic density. At the initial CODCr concentration of 807 mg/L, when air acted as aerated gas and only air itself (no ultrasound) was exerted on the wastewater, the degradation rate of the CODCr will be 4.5%. However, when the ultrasound of the intensity of 119.4 kW/m2 was exerted on the wastewater, the degradation rate of the CODCr will be 65%. Compared with the activated sludge process alone, the combination of the ultrasonic irradiation and activated sludge process can increase the degradation rate of the CODCr from 45% to 81%. The oxygen consumption rate of the carbonization effluent obviously decreased in the presence of the activated sludge. This shows the carbonization effluent is not biotoxic behind the ultrasonic irradiation.

EU-wide monitoring survey on emerging polar organic contaminants in wastewater treatment plant effluents.

PubMed

Loos, Robert; Carvalho, Raquel; António, Diana C; Comero, Sara; Locoro, Giovanni; Tavazzi, Simona; Paracchini, Bruno; Ghiani, Michela; Lettieri, Teresa; Blaha, Ludek; Jarosova, Barbora; Voorspoels, Stefan; Servaes, Kelly; Haglund, Peter; Fick, Jerker; Lindberg, Richard H; Schwesig, David; Gawlik, Bernd M

2013-11-01

In the year 2010, effluents from 90 European wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) were analyzed for 156 polar organic chemical contaminants. The analyses were complemented by effect-based monitoring approaches aiming at estrogenicity and dioxin-like toxicity analyzed by in vitro reporter gene bioassays, and yeast and diatom culture acute toxicity optical bioassays. Analyses of organic substances were performed by solid-phase extraction (SPE) or liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) followed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) or gas chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC-HRMS). Target microcontaminants were pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), veterinary (antibiotic) drugs, perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), organophosphate ester flame retardants, pesticides (and some metabolites), industrial chemicals such as benzotriazoles (corrosion inhibitors), iodinated x-ray contrast agents, and gadolinium magnetic resonance imaging agents; in addition biological endpoints were measured. The obtained results show the presence of 125 substances (80% of the target compounds) in European wastewater effluents, in concentrations ranging from low nanograms to milligrams per liter. These results allow for an estimation to be made of a European median level for the chemicals investigated in WWTP effluents. The most relevant compounds in the effluent waters with the highest median concentration levels were the artificial sweeteners acesulfame and sucralose, benzotriazoles (corrosion inhibitors), several organophosphate ester flame retardants and plasticizers (e.g. tris(2-chloroisopropyl)phosphate; TCPP), pharmaceutical compounds such as carbamazepine, tramadol, telmisartan, venlafaxine, irbesartan, fluconazole, oxazepam, fexofenadine, diclofenac, citalopram, codeine, bisoprolol, eprosartan, the antibiotics trimethoprim, ciprofloxacine, sulfamethoxazole, and clindamycine, the insect repellent N,N'-diethyltoluamide (DEET), the pesticides MCPA and mecoprop, perfluoroalkyl substances (such as PFOS and PFOA), caffeine, and gadolinium. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The potential use of storm water and effluent from a constructed wetland for re-vegetating a degraded pyrite trail in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osaliya, R.; Kansiime, F.; Oryem-Origa, H.; Kateyo, E.

During the operation of the Kilembe Mines (copper mining) a cobaltiferous stockpile was constructed, which began to erode after the closure of the mines in the early 1970s. The erosion of the pyrite stockpile resulted in a large acid trail all the way to Lake George (a Ramsar site). The acid trail contaminated a large area of Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP) resulting in the death of most of the shallow-rooted vegetation. Processes and conditions created by storm water and effluent from a constructed wetland were assessed for vegetation regeneration in the degraded QENP pyrite trail. Cynodon dactylon, Imperata cylindrica and Hyparrhenia filipendula dominated the regeneration zone (RZ) where storm water and effluent from a constructed wetland was flowing; and the adjacent unpolluted area (UP) with importance value indices of 186.4 and 83.3 respectively. Typha latifolia and C. dactylon formed two distinct vegetation sub-zones within the RZ with the former inhabiting areas with a higher water table. Soil pH was significantly higher in the RZ, followed by UP and bare pyrite trail (BPT) at both 0-15 cm and 16-30 cm depths. Soil electrical conductivity was not significantly different in the RZ and BPT but significantly higher than that in UP for both depths. For 0-15 cm depth, RZ had significantly higher concentrations of copper than BPT and UP which had similar concentrations. Still at this depth (0-15 cm), the unpolluted area had significantly higher concentrations of total phosphorus and total nitrogen than the regeneration zone and the bare pyrite trail which had similar concentrations. The RZ dominated by Typha had significantly higher concentrations of TP and TN compared to the RZ dominated by Cynodon. The concentrations of NH 4-N were significantly lower in Typha regeneration zone than in CRZ at 0-15 cm depth but similar at 16-30 cm depth. At 16-30 cm depth, concentrations of copper were significantly higher in the regeneration zone followed by the bare pyrite trail and the unpolluted zone. The concentration of lead in the regeneration zone and bare pyrite trail were similar but significantly higher in the unpolluted zone. Concentrations of TP and TN were significantly higher in unpolluted zone, followed by regeneration zone and bare pyrite trail. Storm water and effluent from a constructed wetland enhanced the revegetation process by modifying soil pH, making plant growth nutrients available and by providing a steady supply of moisture necessary for plant growth. T. latifolia and C. dactylon which seem to have tolerance of high concentrations of metals were the dominant species in the regeneration zone. If storm water and effluent supply continues, the aforementioned vegetation will colonize the pyrite trail and will eventually protect QENP and Lake George from metal contamination.

Occurrence of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes in a sewage treatment plant and its effluent-receiving river.

PubMed

Xu, Jian; Xu, Yan; Wang, Hongmei; Guo, Changsheng; Qiu, Huiyun; He, Yan; Zhang, Yuan; Li, Xiaochen; Meng, Wei

2015-01-01

The extensive use of antibiotics has caused the contamination of both antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment. In this study, the abundance and distribution of antibiotics and ARGs from a sewage treatment plant (STP) and its effluent-receiving river in Beijing China were characterized. Three classes of antibiotics including tetracycline, sulfonamide and quinolone were quantified by LC-MS/MS. In the secondary effluent they were detected at 195, 2001 and 3866 ng L(-1), respectively, which were higher than in the receiving river water. A total of 13 ARGs (6 tet genes: tetA, tetB, tetE, tetW, tetM and tetZ, 3 sulfonamide genes: sul1, sul2 and sul3, and 4 quinolone genes: gryA, parC, qnrC and qnrD) were determined by quantitative PCR. For all ARGs, sulfonamide resistance genes were present at relatively high concentrations in all samples, with the highest ARG concentration above 10(-1). ARGs remained relatively stable along each sewage treatment process. The abundances of detected ARGs from the STP were also higher than its receiving river. Bivariate correlation analysis showed that relative tet gene copies (tetB/16S-rRNA and tetW/16S-rRNA) were strongly correlated with the concentrations of tetracycline residues (r(2)>0.8, p<0.05), while no significant correlations occurred between sulfonamides and sul genes. A negative correlation between the relative abundance of quinolone resistance gene (qnrC/16S-rRNA) and the concentrations of enrofloxacin (ENR) was also determined. The difference of ARGs levels in the raw influent and secondary effluent suggested that the STP treatment process may induce to increase the abundance of resistance genes. The results showed that the sewage was an important repository of the resistance genes, which need to be effectively treated before discharge into the natural water body. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reproductive responses of male fathead minnows exposed to wastewater treatment plant effluent, effluent treated with XAD8 resin, and an environmentally relevant mixture of alkylphenol compounds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barber, L.B.; Lee, K.E.; Swackhamer, D.L.; Schoenfuss, H.L.

2007-01-01

On-site, continuous-flow experiments were conducted during August and October 2002 at a major metropolitan wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) to determine if effluent exposure induced endocrine disruption as manifested in the reproductive competence of sexually mature male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). The fathead minnows were exposed in parallel experiments to WWTP effluent and WWTP effluent treated with XAD8 macroreticular resin to remove the hydrophobic-neutral fraction which contained steroidal hormones, alkylphenolethoxylates (APEs), and other potential endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs). The effluent composition varied on a temporal scale and the continuous-flow experiments captured the range of chemical variability that occurred during normal WWTP operations. Exposure to WWTP effluent resulted in vitellogenin induction in male fathead minnows, with greater response in October than in August. Concentrations of ammonia, APEs, 17??-estradiol, and other EDCs also were greater in October than in August, reflecting a change in effluent composition. In the October experiment, XAD8 treatment significantly reduced vitellogenin induction in the male fathead minnows relative to the untreated effluent, whereas in August, XAD8 treatment had little effect. During both experiments, XAD8 treatment removed greater than 90% of the APEs. Exposure of fish to a mixture of APEs similar in composition and concentration to the WWTP effluent, but prepared in groundwater and conducted at a separate facility, elicited vitellogenin induction during both experiments. There was a positive relation between vitellogenin induction and hepatosomatic index (HSI), but not gonadosomatic index (GSI), secondary sexual characteristics index (SSCI), or reproductive competency. In contrast to expectations, the GSI and SSCI increased in males exposed to WWTP effluent compared to groundwater controls. The GSI, SSCI, and reproductive competency were positively affected by XAD8 treatment of the WWTP effluent. ?? 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reproductive responses of male fathead minnows exposed to wastewater treatment plant effluent, effluent treated with XAD8 resin, and an environmentally relevant mixture of alkylphenol compounds.

PubMed

Barber, Larry B; Lee, Kathy E; Swackhamer, Deborah L; Schoenfuss, Heiko L

2007-04-20

On-site, continuous-flow experiments were conducted during August and October 2002 at a major metropolitan wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) to determine if effluent exposure induced endocrine disruption as manifested in the reproductive competence of sexually mature male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). The fathead minnows were exposed in parallel experiments to WWTP effluent and WWTP effluent treated with XAD8 macroreticular resin to remove the hydrophobic-neutral fraction which contained steroidal hormones, alkylphenolethoxylates (APEs), and other potential endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs). The effluent composition varied on a temporal scale and the continuous-flow experiments captured the range of chemical variability that occurred during normal WWTP operations. Exposure to WWTP effluent resulted in vitellogenin induction in male fathead minnows, with greater response in October than in August. Concentrations of ammonia, APEs, 17beta-estradiol, and other EDCs also were greater in October than in August, reflecting a change in effluent composition. In the October experiment, XAD8 treatment significantly reduced vitellogenin induction in the male fathead minnows relative to the untreated effluent, whereas in August, XAD8 treatment had little effect. During both experiments, XAD8 treatment removed greater than 90% of the APEs. Exposure of fish to a mixture of APEs similar in composition and concentration to the WWTP effluent, but prepared in groundwater and conducted at a separate facility, elicited vitellogenin induction during both experiments. There was a positive relation between vitellogenin induction and hepatosomatic index (HSI), but not gonadosomatic index (GSI), secondary sexual characteristics index (SSCI), or reproductive competency. In contrast to expectations, the GSI and SSCI increased in males exposed to WWTP effluent compared to groundwater controls. The GSI, SSCI, and reproductive competency were positively affected by XAD8 treatment of the WWTP effluent.

Assessment of water quality, nutrients, algal productivity, and management alternatives for low-flow conditions, South Umpqua River basin, Oregon, 1990-92

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tanner, Dwight Q.; Anderson, Chauncey W.

1996-01-01

Ammonia from wastewater-treatment-plant effluent, high pH values, and high temperatures present a potential for chronic ammonia toxicity in the lower reaches of the South Umpqua River; however, actual violations of standards for chronic concentrations were not detected because of diel fluctuations in pH and water temperature.

Decontamination of coal mine effluent generated at the Rajrappa coal mine using phytoremediation technology.

PubMed

Lakra, Kalpana C; Lal, B; Banerjee, T K

2017-06-03

Toxicity of the effluent generated at the Rajrappa coal mine complex under the Central Coalfields Limited (CCL, a subsidiary of Coal India Limited) in Jharkhand, India was investigated. The concentrations (mg L -1 ) of all the toxic metals (Fe, Mn, Ni, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cr, and Cd) in the coal mine effluent were above the safe limit suggested by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA 2003). Among these, Fe showed the highest concentration (18.21 ± 3.865), while Cr had the lowest effluent concentration (0.15 ± 0.014). Efforts were also made to detoxify the effluent using two species of aquatic macrophytes namely "'Salvinia molesta and Pistia stratiotes." After 10 days of phytoremediation, S. molesta removed Pb (96.96%) > Ni (97.01%) > Cu (96.77%) > Zn (96.38%) > Mn (96.22%) > Fe (94.12%) > Cr (92.85%) > Cd (80.99%), and P. stratiotes removed Pb (96.21%) > Fe (94.34%) > Ni (92.53%) > Mn (85.24%) > Zn (79.51%) > Cr (78.57%) > Cu (74.19%) > Cd (72.72%). The impact of coal mine exposure on chlorophyll content showed a significant decrease of 42.49% and 24.54% from control values in S. molesta and P. stratiotes, respectively, perhaps due to the damage inflicted by the toxic metals, leading to the decay of plant tissues.

Export of Dissolved Methane and Carbon Dioxide with Effluents from Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants.

PubMed

Alshboul, Zeyad; Encinas-Fernández, Jorge; Hofmann, Hilmar; Lorke, Andreas

2016-06-07

Inland waters play an important role for regional and global scale carbon cycling and are significant sources of the atmospheric greenhouse gases methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2). Although most studies considered the input of terrestrially derived organic and inorganic carbon as the main sources for these emissions, anthropogenic sources have rarely been investigated. Municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) could be additional sources of carbon by discharging the treated wastewater into the surrounding aquatic ecosystems. Here we analyze seasonally resolved measurements of dissolved CH4 and CO2 concentrations in effluents and receiving streams at nine WWTPs in Germany. We found that effluent addition significantly altered the physicochemical properties of the streamwater. Downstream of the WWTPs, the concentrations of dissolved CH4 and CO2 were enhanced and the atmospheric fluxes of both gases increased by a factor of 1.2 and 8.6, respectively. The CH4 exported with discharged effluent, however, accounted for only a negligible fraction (0.02%) of the estimated total CH4 emissions during the treatment process. The CH4 concentration in the effluent water was linearly related to the organic load of the wastewater, which can provide an empirical basis for future attempts to add WWTPs inputs to regional-scale models for inland water-carbon fluxes.

Reeds computer code

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bjork, C.

1981-01-01

The REEDS (rocket exhaust effluent diffusion single layer) computer code is used for the estimation of certain rocket exhaust effluent concentrations and dosages and their distributions near the Earth's surface following a rocket launch event. Output from REEDS is used in producing near real time air quality and environmental assessments of the effects of certain potentially harmful effluents, namely HCl, Al2O3, CO, and NO.

40 CFR 435.12 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS OIL AND GAS EXTRACTION POINT SOURCE CATEGORY... provided in 40 CFR 125.30-32, any existing point source subject to this subpart must achieve the following... maintained as close to this concentration as possible. 3 There shall be no floating solids as a result of the...

40 CFR 434.23 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... normally exhibit a pH of less than 6.0 prior to treatment: BAT Effluent Limitations Pollutant or pollutant... economically achievable if discharges from such point sources normally exhibit a pH equal to or greater than 6... establish the concentration or quality of pollutants which may be discharged by any existing coal...

Remediation of textile dye waste water using a white-rot fungus Bjerkandera adusta through solid-state fermentation (SSF).

PubMed

Robinson, Tim; Nigam, Poonam Singh

2008-12-01

A strict screening strategy for microorganism selection was followed employing a number of white-rot fungi for the bioremediation of textile effluent, which was generated from one Ireland-based American textile industry. Finally, one fungus Bjerkandera adusta has been investigated in depth for its ability to simultaneously degrade and enrich the nutritional quality of highly coloured textile effluent-adsorbed barley husks through solid-state fermentation (SSF). Certain important parameters such as media requirements, moisture content, protein/biomass production and enzyme activities were examined in detail. A previously optimised method of dye desorption was employed to measure the extent of dye remediation through effluent decolorisation achieved as a result of fungal activity in SSF. B. adusta was capable of decolourising a considerable concentration of the synthetic dye effluent (up to 53%) with a moisture content of 80-85%. Protein enrichment of the fermented mass was achieved to the extent of 229 g/kg dry weight initial substrate used. Lignin peroxidase and laccase were found to be the two main enzymes produced during SSF of the dye-adsorbed lignocellulosic waste residue.

The UASB reactor as an alternative for the septic tank for on-site sewage treatment.

PubMed

Coelho, A L S S; do Nascimento, M B H; Cavalcanti, P F F; van Haandel, A C

2003-01-01

Although septic tanks are amply used for on site sewage treatment, these units have serious drawbacks: the removal efficiency of organic material and suspended solids is low, the units are costly and occupy a large area and operational cost is high due to the need for periodic desludging. In this paper an innovative variant of the UASB reactor is proposed as an alternative for the septic tank. This alternative has several important advantages in comparison with the conventional septic tank: (1) Although the volume of the UASB reactor was about 4 times smaller than the septic tank, its effluent quality was superior, even though small sludge particles were present, (2) desludging of the UASB reactor is unnecessary and even counterproductive, as the sludge mass guarantees proper performance, (3) the UASB reactor is easily transportable (compact and light) and therefore can be produced in series, strongly reducing construction costs and (4) since the concentration of colloids in the UASB effluent is much smaller than in the ST effluent, it is expected that the infiltration of the effluent will be much less problematic.

The Sequential Application of Macroalgal Biosorbents for the Bioremediation of a Complex Industrial Effluent

PubMed Central

Kidgell, Joel T.; de Nys, Rocky; Paul, Nicholas A.; Roberts, David A.

2014-01-01

Fe-treated biochar and raw biochar produced from macroalgae are effective biosorbents of metalloids and metals, respectively. However, the treatment of complex effluents that contain both metalloid and metal contaminants presents a challenging scenario. We test a multiple-biosorbent approach to bioremediation using Fe-biochar and biochar to remediate both metalloids and metals from the effluent from a coal-fired power station. First, a model was derived from published data for this effluent to predict the biosorption of 21 elements by Fe-biochar and biochar. The modelled outputs were then used to design biosorption experiments using Fe-biochar and biochar, both simultaneously and in sequence, to treat effluent containing multiple contaminants in excess of water quality criteria. The waste water was produced during ash disposal at an Australian coal-fired power station. The application of Fe-biochar and biochar, either simultaneously or sequentially, resulted in a more comprehensive remediation of metalloids and metals compared to either biosorbent used individually. The most effective treatment was the sequential use of Fe-biochar to remove metalloids from the waste water, followed by biochar to remove metals. Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn were reduced to the lowest concentration following the sequential application of the two biosorbents, and their final concentrations were predicted by the model. Overall, 17 of the 21 elements measured were remediated to, or below, the concentrations that were predicted by the model. Both metalloids and metals can be remediated from complex effluent using biosorbents with different characteristics but derived from a single feedstock. Furthermore, the extent of remediation can be predicted for similar effluents using additive models. PMID:25061756

Artificial Sweeteners Reveal Septic System Effluent in Rural Groundwater.

PubMed

Spoelstra, John; Senger, Natalie D; Schiff, Sherry L

2017-11-01

It has been widely documented that municipal wastewater treatment plant effluents are a major source of artificial sweeteners to surface waters. However, in rural areas, the extent to which septic systems contribute these same compounds to groundwater aquifers is largely unknown. We examined the occurrence of four commonly used artificial sweeteners in an unconfined sand aquifer that serves as a water supply for rural residents, as a receptor of domestic wastewater from septic systems, and as a source of baseflow to the Nottawasaga River, ON, Canada. Groundwater from the Lake Algonquin Sand Aquifer in the southern Nottawasaga River Watershed was collected from private domestic wells and as groundwater seeps discharging along the banks of the Nottawasaga River. Approximately 30% of samples had detectable levels of one or more artificial sweeteners, indicating the presence of water derived from septic system effluent. Using acesulfame concentrations to estimate the fraction of septic effluent in groundwater samples, ∼3.4 to 13.6% of the domestic wells had 1% or more of their well water being derived from septic system effluent. Similarly, 2.0 to 4.7% of the groundwater seeps had a septic effluent contribution of 1% or more. No relationship was found between the concentration of acesulfame and the concentration of nitrate, ammonium, or soluble reactive phosphorus in the groundwater, indicating that septic effluent is not the dominant source of nutrients in the aquifer. It is expected that the occurrence of artificial sweeteners in shallow groundwater is widespread throughout rural areas in Canada. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Estrogenicity and intersex in juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) exposed to Pine/Eucalyptus pulp and paper production effluent in Chile.

PubMed

Chiang, Gustavo; Barra, Ricardo; Díaz-Jaramillo, Mauricio; Rivas, Meyling; Bahamonde, Paulina; Munkittrick, Kelly R

2015-07-01

Pulp and paper mill effluents (PPMEs) have been shown to increase gonad size, cause early maturation, and disrupt hormone functions in native and non-native Chilean fish. In this study, we assessed reproductive (plasma vitellogenin; VTG, gonad development) and metabolic (ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase activity; EROD) end points, relative liver size (LSI) and condition factor (K) of juvenile female and male rainbow trout exposed to effluents. Unlike previous studies, which have focus either on the specific effects of effluent on fish in laboratory exposures or biotic population statuses downstream of discharge sites, we simultaneously assessed the impacts of PPMES on trout using two approaches: (1) laboratory exposures of tertiary treated PPME produced from processing Eucalyptus globulus or Pinus radiata; and (2) in situ bioassay downstream of the combined discharge of the same pulp mill. Despite an increase in the average gonadosomatic index (GSI) in exposed fish, no statistical differences in gonad size between exposed and unexposed individuals was detected. However, both female and male fish exposed to effluents showed significantly higher concentrations of plasma VTG, so more in fish exposed to Eucalyptus-based effluent when compared to Pinus PPME. In addition, male fish showed intersex characteristics in all exposure assays (Eucaliptus and Pinus) and, despite the low concentration of effluent in the river (<1% [v/v]), similar responses were observed in the caged fish. Finally, EROD activity was induced in both in situ exposures and laboratory assays at the higher PPME concentration (60-85% PPME). This study confirms estrogenic effects in Chilean fish exposed to PPME and the necessity for biological effects monitoring in addition to the assessment of physical-chemical endpoints as required in current government regulations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Response of spinach and komatsuna to biogas effluent made from source-separated kitchen garbage.

PubMed

Furukawa, Yuichiro; Hasegawa, Hiroshi

2006-01-01

Recycling of kitchen garbage is an urgent task for reducing public spending and environmental burdens by incineration and/or landfill. There is an interesting regional effort in Ogawa, Saitama prefecture, Japan, in which source-separated kitchen garbage is anaerobically fermented with a biogas plant and the resultant effluent is used as a quick-release organic fertilizer by surrounding farmers. However, scientific assessments of fertilizer values and risks in the use of the effluent were lacking. Thus, a field experiment was conducted from 2003 to 2004 in Tohoku National Agricultural Research Center to grow spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) and komatsuna (Brassica rapa var. perviridis L. H. Bailey) for evaluating the fertilizer value of the kitchen garbage effluent (KGE), nitrate, coliform group (CG), Escherichia coli, fecal streptococci (FS), and Vibrio parahaemolyticus concentrations of KGE and in the soil and the plant leaves. A cattle manure effluent (CME) and chemical fertilizers (NPK) were used as controls. Total nitrogen (N) and ammonium N concentrations of the KGE were 1.47 and 1.46 g kg(-1), respectively. The bacteria tested were detected in both biogas effluents in the order of 2 to 3 log CFU g(-1), but there was little evidence that the biogas effluents increased these bacteria in the soil and the plant leaves. At the rate of 22 g N m(-2), yield, total N uptake, apparent N recovery rate, and leaf nitrate ion concentration at harvest of spinach and komatsuna in the KGE plot were mostly comparable to those in the NPK and CME plots. We conclude that the KGE is a quick-release N fertilizer comparable to chemical fertilizers and does not cause contamination of CG, E. coli, FS, or V. parahaemolyticus in the soil and spinach and komatsuna leaves.

Solar photo-degradation of a pharmaceutical wastewater effluent in a semi-industrial autonomous plant.

PubMed

Expósito, Antonio J; Durán, Antonio; Monteagudo, José M; Acevedo, Alba

2016-05-01

An industrial wastewater effluent coming from a pharmaceutical laboratory has been treated in a semi-industrial autonomous solar compound parabolic collector (CPC) plant. A photo-Fenton process assisted with ferrioxalate has been used. Up to 79% of TOC can be removed in 2 h depending on initial conditions when treating an aqueous effluent containing up to 400 ppm of initial organic carbon concentration (TOC). An initial ratio of Fe(II)/TOC higher than 0.5 guarantees a high removal. It can be seen that most of TOC removal occurs early in the first hour of reaction. After this time, mineralization was very slow, although H2O2 was still present in solution. Indeed it decomposed to form oxygen in inefficient reactions. It is clear that remaining TOC was mainly due to the presence of acetates which are difficult to degrade. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High Laccase Expression by Trametes versicolor in a Simulated Textile Effluent with Different Carbon Sources and PHs

PubMed Central

Ottoni, Cristiane; Simões, Marta F.; Fernandes, Sara; Santos, Cledir R.; Lima, Nelson

2016-01-01

Textile effluents are highly polluting and have variable and complex compositions. They can be extremely complex, with high salt concentrations and alkaline pHs. A fixed-bed bioreactor was used in the present study to simulate a textile effluent treatment, where the white-rot fungus, Trametes versicolor, efficiently decolourised the azo dye Reactive Black 5 over 28 days. This occurred under high alkaline conditions, which is unusual, but advantageous, for successful decolourisation processes. Active dye decolourisation was maintained by operation in continuous culture. Colour was eliminated during the course of operation and maximum laccase (Lcc) activity (80.2 U∙L−1) was detected after glycerol addition to the bioreactor. Lcc2 gene expression was evaluated with different carbon sources and pH values based on reverse transcriptase-PCR (polymerase chain reaction). Glycerol was shown to promote the highest lcc2 expression at pH 5.5, followed by sucrose and then glucose. The highest levels of expression occurred between three and four days, which corroborate the maximum Lcc activity observed for sucrose and glycerol on the bioreactor. These results give new insights into the use of T. versicolor in textile dye wastewater treatment with high pHs. PMID:27490563

The removal of pharmaceuticals, personal care products, endocrine disruptors and illicit drugs during wastewater treatment and its impact on the quality of receiving waters.

PubMed

Kasprzyk-Hordern, Barbara; Dinsdale, Richard M; Guwy, Alan J

2009-02-01

A 5-month monitoring program was undertaken in South Wales in the UK to determine the fate of 55 pharmaceuticals, personal care products, endocrine disruptors and illicit drugs (PPCPs) in two contrasting wastewater plants utilising two different wastewater treatment technologies: activated sludge and trickling filter beds. The impact of treated wastewater effluent on the quality of receiving waters was also assessed. PPCPs were found to be present at high loads reaching 10kgday(-1) in the raw sewage. Concentrations of PPCPs in raw sewage were found to correlate with their usage/consumption patterns in Wales and their metabolism. The efficiency of the removal of PPCPs was found to be strongly dependent on the technology implemented in the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). In general, the WWTP utilising trickling filter beds resulted in, on average, less than 70% removal of all 55 PPCPs studied, while the WWTP utilising activated sludge treatment gave a much higher removal efficiency of over 85%. The monitoring programme revealed that treated wastewater effluents were the main contributors to PPCPs concentrations (up to 3kg of PPCPsday(-1)) in the rivers studied. Bearing in mind that in the cases examined here the WWTP effluents were also major contributors to rivers' flows (dilution factor for the studied rivers did not exceed 23 times) the effect of WWTP effluent on the quality of river water is significant and cannot be underestimated.

Comparative statistical analysis of chrome and vegetable tanning effluents and their effects on related soil.

PubMed

Tariq, Saadia R; Shah, Munir H; Shaheen, Nazia

2009-09-30

Two tanning units of Pakistan, namely, Kasur and Mian Channun were investigated with respect to the tanning processes (chrome and vegetable, respectively) and the effects of the tanning agents on the quality of soil in vicinity of tanneries were evaluated. The effluent and soil samples from 16 tanneries each of Kasur and Mian Channun were collected. The levels of selected metals (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cr, Mn, Co, Cd, Ni, Pb and Zn) were determined by using flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer under optimum analytical conditions. The data thus obtained were subjected to univariate and multivariate statistical analyses. Most of the metals exhibited considerably higher concentrations in the effluents and soils of Kasur compared with those of Mian Channun. It was observed that the soil of Kasur was highly contaminated by Na, K, Ca and Mg emanating from various processes of leather manufacture. Furthermore, the levels of Cr were also present at much enhanced levels than its background concentration due to the adoption of chrome tanning. The levels of Cr determined in soil samples collected from the vicinity of Mian Channun tanneries were almost comparable to the background levels. The soil of this city was found to have contaminated only by the metals originating from pre-tanning processes. The apportionment of selected metals in the effluent and soil samples was determined by a multivariate cluster analysis, which revealed significant differences in chrome and vegetable tanning processes.

Assessment of peracetic acid disinfected effluents by microbiotests.

PubMed

Antonelli, M; Mezzanotte, V; Panouillères, M

2009-09-01

Bioassays were performed by commercially available kits on peracetic acid (PAA) solutions, at different concentrations, and on secondary effluents (from two different wastewater treatment plants) after disinfection at bench-scale, considering both samples containing residual active PAA and the same samples where residual PAA was quenched. Four indicator organisms were used: Vibrio fischeri, Thamnocephalus platyurus, Daphnia magna, and Selenastrum capricornutum. The experiments lead to conclude that Thamnocephalus platyurus is a very sensitive organism, probably not adequate to perform a reliable toxicity assessment of effluents for monitoring purposes. The presence of specific organic compounds deriving from human metabolism and urban pollution, even at very low concentrations, can affect the results of bioassays, especially those performed on Vibrio fischeri. PAA is toxic for bacteria and crustaceans even at concentrations lower than the ones commonly used in wastewater disinfection (2-5 mg/L), while its effect on algae is smaller. The toxic effect on bacteria was expected, as PAA is used for disinfection, but its possible influence on biological processes in the receiving aquatic environment should be considered. Toxicity on crustaceans would confirm the fact that discharging disinfected effluents could raise some environmental problems.

Laccase-syringaldehyde-mediated degradation of trace organic contaminants in an enzymatic membrane reactor: Removal efficiency and effluent toxicity.

PubMed

Nguyen, Luong N; van de Merwe, Jason P; Hai, Faisal I; Leusch, Frederic D L; Kang, Jinguo; Price, William E; Roddick, Felicity; Magram, Saleh F; Nghiem, Long D

2016-01-01

Redox-mediators such as syringaldehyde (SA) can improve laccase-catalyzed degradation of trace organic contaminants (TrOCs) but may increase effluent toxicity. The degradation performance of 14 phenolic and 17 non-phenolic TrOCs by a continuous flow enzymatic membrane reactor (EMR) at different TrOC and SA loadings was assessed. A specific emphasis was placed on the investigation of the toxicity of the enzyme (laccase), SA, TrOCs and the treated effluent. Batch tests demonstrated significant individual and interactive toxicity of the laccase and SA preparations. Reduced removal of resistant TrOCs by the EMR was observed for dosages over 50μg/L. SA addition at a concentration of 10μM significantly improved TrOC removal, but no removal improvement was observed at the elevated SA concentrations of 50 and 100μM. The treated effluent showed significant toxicity at SA concentrations beyond 10μM, providing further evidence that higher dosage of SA must be avoided. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Toxicity and genotoxicity of wastewater from gasoline stations

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

The toxicity and genotoxicity of wastewater from eight gasoline stations in Brasília, Brazil's capital city, was studied by assessing chromosomal aberrations, chromosomal malsegregation and the mitotic index in Alliumcepa root cells, and the occurrence of micronucleus and nuclear abnormalities in peripheral erythrocytes of tilapia fish (Oreochromis niloticus). The content of gasoline station effluents was also analyzed based on several physico-chemical parameters. None of the wastewater samples was genotoxic to A. cepa root cells, although cell proliferation was significantly inhibited, especially at the highest concentrations. Likewise, no micronuclei were observed in O. niloticus peripheral erythrocytes, even after exposure to high concentrations, but there was an increase in the number of nuclear abnormalities and fish mortality. These results show that although the effluent from gasoline stations is processed by an oil/water separation system before being discharged into the main sewage system, the wastewater still contains toxic compounds. PMID:21637464

Decreasing boron concentrations in UK rivers: insights into reductions in detergent formulations since the 1990s and within-catchment storage issues.

PubMed

Neal, Colin; Williams, Richard J; Bowes, Michael J; Harrass, Michael C; Neal, Margaret; Rowland, Philip; Wickham, Heather; Thacker, Sarah; Harman, Sarah; Vincent, Colin; Jarvie, Helen P

2010-02-15

The changing patterns of riverine boron concentration are examined for the Thames catchment in southern/southeastern England using data from 1997 to 2007. Boron concentrations are related to an independent marker for sewage effluent, sodium. The results show that boron concentrations in the main river channels have declined with time especially under baseflow conditions when sewage effluent dilution potential is at its lowest. While boron concentrations have reduced, especially under low-flow conditions, this does not fully translate to a corresponding reduction in boron flux and it seems that the "within-catchment" supplies of boron to the river are contaminated by urban sources. The estimated boron reduction in the effluent input to the river based on the changes in river chemistry is typically around 60% and this figure matches with an initial survey of more limited data for the industrial north of England. Data for effluent concentrations at eight sewage treatment works within the Kennet also indicate substantial reductions in boron concentrations: 80% reduction occurred between 2001 and 2008. For the more contaminated rivers there are issues of localised rather than catchment-wide sources and uncertainties over the extent and nature of water/boron stores. Atmospheric sources average around 32 to 61% for the cleaner and 4 to 14% for the more polluted parts. The substantial decreases in the boron concentrations correspond extremely well with the timing and extent of European wide trends for reductions in the industrial and domestic usage of boron-bearing compounds. It clearly indicates that such reductions have translated into lower average and peak concentrations of boron in the river although the full extent of these reductions has probably not yet occurred due to localised stores that are still to deplete.

Orthophosphate-P in the nutrient impacted River Taw and its catchment (SW England) between 1990 and 2013.

PubMed

Tappin, Alan D; Comber, Sean; Worsfold, Paul J

2016-06-15

Excess dissolved phosphorus (as orthophosphate-P) contributes to reduced river water quality within Europe and elsewhere. This study reports results from analysis of a 23 year (1990-2013) water quality dataset for orthophosphate-P in the rural Taw catchment (SW England). Orthophosphate-P and river flow relationships and temporal variations in orthophosphate-P concentrations indicate the significant contribution of sewage (across the catchment) and industrial effluent (upper R. Taw) to orthophosphate-P concentrations (up to 96%), particularly during the low flow summer months when maximum algal growth occurs. In contrast, concentrations of orthophosphate-P from diffuse sources within the catchment were more important (>80%) at highest river flows. The results from a 3 end-member mixing model incorporating effluent, groundwater and diffuse orthophosphate-P source terms suggested that sewage and/or industrial effluent contributes ≥50% of the orthophosphate-P load for 27-48% of the time across the catchment. The Water Framework Directive (WFD) Phase 2 standards for reactive phosphorus, introduced in 2015, showed the R. Taw to be generally classified as Poor to Moderate Ecological Status, with a Good Status occurring more frequently in the tributary rivers. Failure to achieve Good Ecological Status occurred even though, since the early-2000s, riverine orthophosphate-P concentrations have decreased (although the mechanism(s) responsible for this could not be identified). For the first time it has been demonstrated that sewage and industrial effluent sources of alkalinity to the river can give erroneous boundary concentrations of orthophosphate-P for WFD Ecological Status classification, the extent of which is dependent on the proportion of effluent alkalinity present. This is likely to be a European - wide issue which should be examined in more detail.

Method and means of monitoring the effluent from nuclear facilities

DOEpatents

Lattin, Kenneth R.; Erickson, Gerald L.

1976-01-01

Radioactive iodine is detected in the effluent cooling gas from a nuclear reactor or nuclear facility by passing the effluent gas through a continuously moving adsorbent filter material which is then purged of noble gases and conveyed continuously to a detector of radioactivity. The purging operation has little or no effect upon the concentration of radioactive iodine which is adsorbed on the filter material.

Estimating genetic potential of biofuel forest hardwoods to withstand metal toxicity in industrial effluent under dry tropical conditions.

PubMed

Manzoor, S A; Mirza, S N; Zubair, M; Nouman, W; Hussain, S B; Mehmood, S; Irshad, A; Sarwar, N; Ammar, A; Iqbal, M F; Asim, A; Chattha, M U; Chattha, M B; Zafar, A; Abid, R

2015-08-14

Biofuel tree species are recognized as a promising alternative source of fuel to conventional forms. Additionally, these tree species are also effective in accumulating toxic heavy metals present in some industrial effluents. In developing countries such as Pakistan, the use of biofuel tree species is gaining popularity not only for harvesting economical and environmentally friendly biofuel, but also to sequester poisonous heavy metals from industrial wastewater. This study was aimed at evaluating the genetic potential of two biofuel species, namely, Jatropha curcas and Pongamia pinnata, to grow when irrigated with industrial effluent from the Pak-Arab Fertilizer Factory Multan, Southern Punjab, Pakistan. The growth performances of one-year-old seedlings of both species were compared in soil with adverse physiochemical properties. It was found that J. curcas was better able to withstand the toxicity of the heavy metals present in the fertilizer factory effluent. J. curcas showed maximum gain in height, diameter, and biomass production in soil irrigated with 75% concentrated industrial effluent. In contrast, P. pinnata showed a significant reduction in growth in soil irrigated with more than 50% concentrated industrial effluent, indicating that this species is less tolerant to higher toxicity levels of industrial effluent. This study identifies J. curcas as a promising biofuel tree species that can be grown using industrial wastewater.

Biomass production and nutrient removal potential of water hyacinth cultured in sewage effluent

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reddy, K.R.; Hueston, F.M.; McKinn, T.

1985-05-01

Growth and nutrient uptake of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes (Mart Solms)) cultured in sewage effluent were measured over a period of one year in a prototype wastewater treatment system which has been in operation at Walt Disney World near Orlando, Florida. Annual productivity of water hyacinth cultured in primary sewage effluent (Channel II) was found to be in the range of 5 to 27 g dry wt/m/sup 2/ day (23.6 dry tons/acre yr). Average growth rate during the months of May through October 1982 for hyacinth cultured in Channel II (primary sewage effluent) and Channel I (treated primary sewage effluentmore » leaving Channel II) was about 16 g dry wt/m/sup 2/ (27 dry tons/acre yr), compared to the growth rate of 13 g dry wt/m/sup 2/ (22 dry tons/acre yr) for hyacinths cultured in secondary sewage effluent. Plants cultured in secondary sewage effluent generally had longer roots than the plants cultured in primary sewage effluent. A significant relationship was observed between the growth rate of hyacinth and the solar radiation. N and P concentration of the plant tissue were higher in the hyacinths cultured during winter months compared to the plants grown in summer months. Average N and P concentration of the plants cultured im primary sewage effluent were found to be 3.7% N and 0.94% P, respectively, while the plants cultured in secondary sewage effluent had a total N and P content of 2.8% N and 0.79% P. Nutrient ratios of the major plant nurtrients were found to be approximately the same as the nutrient ratios in the sewage effluent. Annual N and P uptake rates of hyacinth cultured in sewage effluent were found to be in the range of 1176 to 1193 kg N/ha yr and 321 to 387 kg P/ha yr, respectively.« less

Occurrence and fate of carbamazepine, clofibric acid, diclofenac, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, and naproxen in surface waters.

PubMed

Tixier, Céline; Singer, Heinz P; Oellers, Sjef; Müller, Stephan R

2003-03-15

Although various single-concentration measurements of pharmaceuticals are available in the literature, detailed information on the variation over time of the concentration and the load in wastewater effluents and rivers and on the fate of these compounds in the aquatic environment are lacking. We measured the concentrations of six pharmaceuticals, carbamazepine, clofibric acid, diclofenac, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, and naproxen, in the effluents of three wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), in two rivers and in the water column of Lake Greifensee (Switzerland) over a time period of three months. In WWTP effluents, the concentrations reached 0.95 microg/L for carbamazepine, 0.06 microg/L for clofibric acid, 0.99 microg/L for diclofenac, 1.3 microg/L for ibuprofen, 0.18 microg/L for ketoprofen, and 2.6 microg/L for naproxen. The relative importance in terms of loads was carbamazepine, followed by diclofenac, naproxen, ibuprofen, clofibric acid, and ketoprofen. An overall removal rate of all these pharmaceuticals was estimated in surface waters, under real-world conditions (in a lake), using field measurements and modeling. Carbamazepine and clofibric acid were fairly persistent. Phototransformation was identified as the main elimination process of diclofenac in the lake water during the study period. With a relatively high sorption coefficient to particles, ibuprofen might be eliminated by sedimentation. For ketoprofen and naproxen, biodegradation and phototransformation might be elimination processes. For the first time, quantitative data regarding removal rates were determined in surface waters under real-world conditions. All these findings are important data for a risk assessment of these compounds in surface waters.

Occurrence of pharmaceutically active compounds during 1-year period in wastewaters from four wastewater treatment plants in Seville (Spain).

PubMed

Santos, J L; Aparicio, I; Callejón, M; Alonso, E

2009-05-30

Several pharmaceutically active compounds have been monitored during 1-year period in influent and effluent wastewater from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) to evaluate their temporal evolution and removal from wastewater and to know which variables have influence in their removal rates. Pharmaceutical compounds monitored were four antiinflammatory drugs (diclofenac, ibuprofen, ketoprofen and naproxen), an antiepileptic drug (carbamazepine) and a nervous stimulant (caffeine). All of the pharmaceutically active compounds monitored, except diclofenac, were detected in influent and effluent wastewater. Mean concentrations measured in influent wastewater were 6.17, 0.48, 93.6, 1.83 and 5.41 microg/L for caffeine, carbamazepine, ibuprofen, ketoprofen and naproxen, respectively. Mean concentrations measured in effluent wastewater were 2.02, 0.56, 8.20, 0.84 and 2.10 microg/L for caffeine, carbamazepine, ibuprofen, ketoprofen and naproxen, respectively. Mean removal rates of the pharmaceuticals varied from 8.1% (carbamazepine) to 87.5% (ibuprofen). The existence of relationships between the concentrations of the pharmaceutical compounds, their removal rates, the characterization parameters of influent wastewaters and the WWTP control design parameters has been studied by means of statistical analysis (correlation and principal component analysis). With both statistical analyses, high correlations were obtained between the concentration of the pharmaceutical compounds and the characterization parameters of influent wastewaters; and between the removal rates of the pharmaceutical compounds, the removal rates of the characterization parameters of influent wastewaters and the WWTP hydraulic retention times. Principal component analysis showed the existence of two main components accounting for 76% of the total variability.

Pilot-scale investigation on the removal of organic foulants in secondary effluent by slow sand filtration prior to ultrafiltration.

PubMed

Zheng, Xing; Ernst, Mathias; Jekel, Martin

2010-05-01

Natural biofiltration processes have been verified as effective pre-treatment choice improving the performance of low-pressure membranes (MF/UF) in wastewater reclamation. In the present work, pilot-scale slow sand filtration (SSF) was used to simulate bank filtration at high filtration rates (from 0.25m/h to 0.5m/h) to filter secondary effluent prior to UF. The results showed that SSF improved the performance of UF to a large extent. Related to previous work biopolymers are considered as major dissolved organic foulants in treated wastewater. The removal of these organic foulants in slow sand filters and factors affecting the performance of SSF were investigated. It was observed that the removal of biopolymers took place mainly at the upper sand layer and was related to biological degradation. Tests on the degradability of biopolymers verified that they are biodegradable. Sixteen months monitoring of biopolymer concentration in the secondary effluent indicated that it varied seasonally. In winter season the concentration was much higher than during the summer months. Higher temperature and lower biopolymer concentration led to more effective foulants removal and more sustainable operation of SSF. During the whole experimental period, the performance of SSF was always better at filtration rate of 0.25m/h than at 0.5m/h. Under the present experimental conditions, SSF exhibited stable and effective biopolymer removal at temperatures higher than 15 degrees C, at biopolymer concentrations lower than 0.5mg C/L and with sufficient oxygen available.

Effects of wastewater effluent discharge and treatment facility upgrades on environmental and biological conditions of the upper Blue River, Johnson County, Kansas and Jackson County, Missouri, January 2003 through March 2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Graham, Jennifer L.; Stone, Mandy L.; Rasmussen, Teresa J.; Poulton, Barry C.

2010-01-01

The Johnson County Blue River Main Wastewater Treatment Facility discharges into the upper Blue River near the border between Johnson County, Kansas and Jackson County, Missouri. During 2005 through 2007 the wastewater treatment facility underwent upgrades to increase capacity and include biological nutrient removal. The effects of wastewater effluent on environmental and biological conditions of the upper Blue River were assessed by comparing an upstream site to two sites located downstream from the wastewater treatment facility. Environmental conditions were evaluated using previously and newly collected discrete and continuous data, and were compared with an assessment of biological community composition and ecosystem function along the upstream-downstream gradient. This evaluation is useful for understanding the potential effects of wastewater effluent on water quality, biological community structure, and ecosystem function. In addition, this information can be used to help achieve National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) wastewater effluent permit requirements after additional studies are conducted. The effects of wastewater effluent on the water-quality conditions of the upper Blue River were most evident during below-normal and normal streamflows (about 75 percent of the time), when wastewater effluent contributed more than 20 percent to total streamflow. The largest difference in water-quality conditions between the upstream and downstream sites was in nutrient concentrations. Total and inorganic nutrient concentrations at the downstream sites during below-normal and normal streamflows were 4 to 15 times larger than at the upstream site, even after upgrades to the wastewater treatment facility were completed. However, total nitrogen concentrations decreased in wastewater effluent and at the downstream site following wastewater treatment facility upgrades. Similar decreases in total phosphorus were not observed, likely because the biological phosphorus removal process was not optimized until after the study was completed. Total nitrogen and phosphorus from the wastewater treatment facility contributed a relatively small percentage (14 to 15 percent) to the annual nutrient load in the upper Blue River, but contributed substantially (as much as 75 percent) to monthly loads during seasonal low-flows in winter and summer. During 2007 and 2008, annual discharge from the wastewater treatment facility was about one-half maximum capacity, and estimated potential maximum annual loads were 1.6 to 2.4 times greater than annual loads before capacity upgrades. Even when target nutrient concentrations are met, annual nutrient loads will increase when the wastewater treatment facility is operated at full capacity. Regardless of changes in annual nutrient loads, the reduction of nutrient concentrations in the Blue River Main wastewater effluent will help prevent further degradation of the upper Blue River. The Blue River Main Wastewater Treatment Facility wastewater effluent caused changes in concentrations of several water-quality constituents that may affect biological community structure and function including larger concentrations of bioavailable nutrients (nitrate and orthophosphorus) and smaller turbidities. Streambed-sediment conditions were similar along the upstream-downstream gradient and measured constituents did not exceed probable effect concentrations. Habitat conditions declined along the upstream-downstream gradient, largely because of decreased canopy cover and riparian buffer width and increased riffle-substrate fouling. Algal biomass, primary production, and the abundance of nutrient-tolerant diatoms substantially increased downstream from the wastewater treatment facility. Likewise, the abundance of intolerant macroinvertebrate taxa and Kansas Department of Health and Environment aquatic-life-support scores, derived from macroinvertebrate data, significantly decreased downstream from the wastewater

Probabilistic determination of the ecological risk from OTNE in aquatic and terrestrial compartments based on US-wide monitoring data.

PubMed

McDonough, Kathleen; Casteel, Kenneth; Zoller, Ann; Wehmeyer, Kenneth; Hulzebos, Etje; Rila, Jean-Paul; Salvito, Daniel; Federle, Thomas

2017-01-01

OTNE [1-(1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydro-2,3,8,8-tetramethyl-2-naphthyl)ethan-1-one; trade name Iso E Super] is a fragrance ingredient commonly used in consumer products which are disposed down the drain. This research measured effluent and sludge concentrations of OTNE at 44 US wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). The mean effluent and sludge concentrations were 0.69 ± 0.65 μg/L and 20.6 ± 33.8 mg/kg dw respectively. Distribution of OTNE effluent concentrations and dilution factors were used to predict surface water and sediment concentrations and distributions of OTNE sludge concentrations and loading rates were used to predict terrestrial concentrations. The 90th percentile concentration of OTNE in US WWTP mixing zones was predicted to be 0.04 and 0.85 μg/L under mean and 7Q10 low flow (lowest river flow occurring over a 7 day period every 10 years) conditions respectively. The 90th percentile sediment concentrations under mean and 7Q10 low flow conditions were predicted to be 0.081 and 1.6 mg/kg dw respectively. Based on current US sludge application practices, the 90th percentile OTNE terrestrial concentration was 1.38 mg/kg dw. The probability of OTNE concentrations being below the predicted no effect concentration (PNEC) for the aquatic and sediment compartments was greater than 99%. For the terrestrial compartment, the probability of OTNE concentrations being lower than the PNEC was 97% for current US sludge application practices. Based on the results of this study, OTNE concentrations in US WWTP effluent and sludge do not pose an ecological risk to aquatic, sediment and terrestrial organisms. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of industrial effluents on the biochemical composition of fresh water fish Labeo rohita.

PubMed

Muley, D V; Karanjkar, D M; Maske, S V

2007-04-01

In acute toxicity (96 hr) experiment the fingerlings of freshwater fish Labeo rohita was exposed to tannery, electroplating and textile mill effluents. The LC0 and LC50 concentrations were 15% and 20% for tannery effluents, 3% and 6% for electroplating effluents and 18% and 22% for textile mill effluents respectively. It was found that, electroplating effluent was more toxic than tannery and textile mill wastes. After acute toxicity experiments for different industrial effluents, various tissues viz. gill, liver, muscle and kidney were obtained separately from control, LC0 and LC50 groups. These tissues were used for biochemical estimations. The glycogen content in all the tissues decreased considerably upon acute toxicity of three industrial effluents except muscle in LC50 group of tannery effluent and kidney in LC50 group of textile mill effluent, when compared to control group. The total protein content decreased in all tissues in three effluents except gills in LC50 group of tannery effluent, kidney in LC50 group of electroplating effluent and kidney in LC0 group of textile mill effluent. In general total lipid content decreased in all tissues after acute exposure when compared to control group. The results obtained in the present study showed that, the industrial effluents from tannery, electroplating and textile mills caused marked depletion in biochemical composition in various tissues of the fish Labeo rohita after acute exposure.

Simultaneous biosorption of selenium, arsenic and molybdenum with modified algal-based biochars.

PubMed

Johansson, Charlotte L; Paul, Nicholas A; de Nys, Rocky; Roberts, David A

2016-01-01

Ash disposal waters from coal-fired power stations present a challenging water treatment scenario as they contain high concentrations of the oxyanions Se, As and Mo which are difficult to remove through conventional techniques. In an innovative process, macroalgae can be treated with Fe and processed through slow pyrolysis into Fe-biochar which has a high affinity for oxyanions. However, the effect of production conditions on the efficacy of Fe-biochar is poorly understood. We produced Fe-biochar from two algal sources; "Gracilaria waste" (organic remnants after agar is extracted from cultivated Gracilaria) and the freshwater macroalgae Oedogonium. Pyrolysis experiments tested the effects of the concentration of Fe(3+) in pre-treatment, and pyrolysis temperatures, on the efficacy of the Fe-biochar. The efficacy of Fe-biochar increased with increasing concentrations of Fe(3+) in the pre-treatment solutions, and decreased with increasing pyrolysis temperatures. The optimized Fe-biochar for each biomass was produced by treatment with a 12.5% w/v Fe(3+) solution, followed by slow pyrolysis at 300 °C. The Fe-biochar produced in this way had higher a biosorption capacity for As and Mo (62.5-80.7 and 67.4-78.5 mg g(-1) respectively) than Se (14.9-38.8 mg g(-1)) in single-element mock effluents, and the Fe-biochar produced from Oedogonium had a higher capacity for all elements than the Fe-biochar produced from Gracilaria waste. Regardless, the optimal Fe-biochars from both biomass sources were able to effectively treat Se, As and Mo simultaneously in an ash disposal effluent from a power station. The production of Fe-biochar from macroalgae is a promising technique for treatment of complex effluents containing oxyanions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Aeration optimization through operation at low dissolved oxygen concentrations: Evaluation of oxygen mass transfer dynamics in different activated sludge systems.

PubMed

Fan, Haitao; Qi, Lu; Liu, Guoqiang; Zhang, Yuankai; Fan, Qiang; Wang, Hongchen

2017-05-01

In wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) using the activated sludge process, two methods are widely used to improve aeration efficiency - use of high-efficiency aeration devices and optimizing the aeration control strategy. Aeration efficiency is closely linked to sludge characteristics (such as concentrations of mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) and microbial communities) and operating conditions (such as air flow rate and operational dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations). Moreover, operational DO is closely linked to effluent quality. This study, which is in reference to WWTP discharge class A Chinese standard effluent criteria, determined the growth kinetics parameters of nitrifiers at different DO levels in small-scale tests. Results showed that the activated sludge system could meet effluent criteria when DO was as low as 0.3mg/L, and that nitrifier communities cultivated under low DO conditions had higher oxygen affinity than those cultivated under high DO conditions, as indicated by the oxygen half-saturation constant and nitrification ability. Based on nitrifier growth kinetics and on the oxygen mass transfer dynamic model (determined using different air flow rate (Q' air ) and mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS) values), theoretical analysis indicated limited potential for energy saving by improving aeration diffuser performance when the activated sludge system had low oxygen consumption; however, operating at low DO and low MLVSS could significantly reduce energy consumption. Finally, a control strategy coupling sludge retention time and MLVSS to minimize the DO level was discussed, which is critical to appropriate setting of the oxygen point and to the operation of low DO treatment technology. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A Study on the D. magna and V. fischeri Toxicity Relationship of Industrial Wastewater from Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pyo, S.; Lee, S.; Chun Sang, H.; Park, T. J.; Kim, M. S.

2015-12-01

It is well known that high concentration of TDS (total dissolved solid) in industrial effluent gives rise to the toxicity to the Daphnia magna toxicity test. D. magna is vulnerable to relatively low TDS concentration showing the 24-hr EC50 of Salinity 0.6% (as the sea salt concentration). Recently, standard mandatory toxicity testing using Daphnia magna has been used to monitor industrial effluent toxicity according to Korea standard method (Acute Toxicity Test Method of the Daphnia magna Straus (Cladocera, Crustacea), ES 04704. 1a) under regulation. Since only one acute toxicity testing is applied in the present, we are trying to introduce microbial battery for more complete toxicity assessment. In this study, the acute toxicities between daphnids and microbes were compared. The results of D. magna and Vibrio fischeri toxicity test from 165 industrial wastewater effluents showed high positive correlation. In addition, the possibility of predicting daphnia toxicity from the bacterial toxicity data amounts to 92.6% if we consider salinity effect (>5ppt) together. From this study, we found that the V. fischeri toxicity test is a powerful battery tool to assess the industrial wastewater toxicity. Here, we suggest that luminescent bacteria toxicity test be useful not only for complete toxicity assessment which can't be obtained by daphnia toxicity testing only but also for the reduction cost, time, and labor in the Korean society. Keywords : D. magna, V. fischeri, Industrial waste water, battery test Acknowledgement This research was supported by a grant (15IFIP-B089908-02) from Plant Research Program funded by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of Korean government

Nitrogen removal and nitrate leaching for forage systems receiving dairy effluent.

PubMed

Woodard, Kenneth R; French, Edwin C; Sweat, Lewin A; Graetz, Donald A; Sollenberger, Lynn E; Macoon, Bisoondat; Portier, Kenneth M; Wade, Brett L; Rymph, Stuart J; Prine, Gordon M; Van Horn, Harold H

2002-01-01

Florida dairies need year-round forage systems that prevent loss of N to ground water from waste effluent sprayfields. Our purpose was to quantify forage N removal and monitor nitrate N (NO3(-)-N) concentrations in soil water below the rooting zone for two forage systems during four 12-mo cycles (1996-2000). Soil in the sprayfield is an excessively drained Kershaw sand (thermic, uncoated Typic Quartzipsamment). Over four cycles, average loading rates of effluent N were 500, 690, and 910 kg ha(-1) per cycle. Nitrogen removed by the bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.)-rye (Secale cereale L.) system (BR) during the first three cycles was 465 kg ha(-1) per cycle for the low loading rate, 528 kg ha(-1) for the medium rate, and 585 kg ha(-1) for the high. For the corn (Zea mays L.)-forage sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]-rye system (CSR), N removals were 320 kg ha(-1) per cycle for the low rate, 327 kg ha(-1) for the medium, and 378 kg ha(-1) for the high. The higher N removals for BR were attributed to higher N concentration in bermudagrass (18.1-24.2 g kg(-1)) than in corn and forage sorghum (10.3-14.7 g kg(-1)). Dry matter yield declined in the fourth cycle for bermudagrass but N removal continued to be higher for BR than CSR. The BR system was much more effective at preventing NO3(-)-N leaching. For CSR, NO3(-)-N levels in soil water (1.5 m below surface) increased steeply during the period between the harvest of one forage and canopy dosure of the next. Overall, the BR system was better than CSR at removing N from the soil and maintaining low NO3(-)-N concentrations below the rooting zone.

Uptake of uranium by aquatic plants growing in fresh water ecosystem around uranium mill tailings pond at Jaduguda, India.

PubMed

Jha, V N; Tripathi, R M; Sethy, N K; Sahoo, S K

2016-01-01

Concentration of uranium was determined in aquatic plants and substrate (sediment or water) of fresh water ecosystem on and around uranium mill tailings pond at Jaduguda, India. Aquatic plant/substrate concentration ratios (CRs) of uranium were estimated for different sites on and around the uranium mill tailings disposal area. These sites include upstream and downstream side of surface water sources carrying the treated tailings effluent, a small pond inside tailings disposal area and residual water of this area. Three types of plant groups were investigated namely algae (filamentous and non-filamentous), other free floating & water submerged and sediment rooted plants. Wide variability in concentration ratio was observed for different groups of plants studied. The filamentous algae uranium concentration was significantly correlated with that of water (r=0.86, p<0.003). For sediment rooted plants significant correlation was found between uranium concentration in plant and the substrate (r=0.88, p<0.001). Both for other free floating species and sediment rooted plants, uranium concentration was significantly correlated with Mn, Fe, and Ni concentration of plants (p<0.01). Filamentous algae, Jussiaea and Pistia owing to their high bioproductivity, biomass, uranium accumulation and concentration ratio can be useful for prospecting phytoremediation of stream carrying treated or untreated uranium mill tailings effluent. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spatial and temporal shifts in gross primary productivity, respiration, and nutrient concentrations in urban streams impacted by wastewater treatment plant effluent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ledford, S. H.; Toran, L.

2017-12-01

Impacts of wastewater treatment plant effluent on nutrient retention and stream productivity are highly varied. The working theory has been that large pulses of nutrients from plants may hinder in-stream nutrient retention. We evaluated nitrate, total dissolved phosphorus, and dissolved oxygen in Wissahickon Creek, an urban third-order stream in Montgomery and Philadelphia counties, PA, that receives effluent from four wastewater treatment plants. Wastewater treatment plant effluent had nitrate concentrations of 15-30 mg N/L and total dissolved phosphorus of 0.3 to 1.8 mg/L. Seasonal longitudinal water quality samples showed nitrate concentrations were highest in the fall, peaking at 22 mg N/L, due to low baseflow, but total dissolved phosphorous concentrations were highest in the spring, reaching 0.6 mg/L. Diurnal dissolved oxygen patterns above and below one of the treatment plants provided estimates of gross primary productivity (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (ER). A site 1 km below effluent discharge had higher GPP in April (80 g O2 m-2 d-1) than the site above the plant (28 g O2 m-2 d-1). The pulse in productivity did not continue downstream, as the site 3 km below the plant had GPP of only 12 g O2 m-2 d-1. Productivity fell in June to 1-2 g O2 m-2 d-1 and the differences in productivity above and below plants were minimal. Ecosystem respiration followed a similar pattern in April, increasing from -17 g O2 m-2 d-1 above the plant to -47 g O2 m-2 d-1 1 km below the plant, then decreasing to -8 g O2 m-2 d-1 3 km below the plant. Respiration dropped to -3 g O2 m-2 d-1 above the plant in June but only fell to -9 to -10 g O2 m-2 d-1 at the two downstream sites. These findings indicate that large nutrient pulses from wastewater treatment plants spur productivity and respiration, but that these increases may be strongly seasonally dependent. Examining in-stream productivity and respiration is critical in wastewater impacted streams to understanding the seasonal and spatial variability of nutrient stresses so that limitations on discharge can be better targeted.

Water quality in the Little Sac River basin near Springfield, Missouri, 1999-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, Brenda J.

2002-01-01

The Little Sac River, north of Springfield, Missouri, flows through mainly agricultural and forest land. However, the quality of the river water is a concern because the river flows into Stockton Lake, which is a supplemental drinking water source for Springfield. Large bacterial densities and nutrient concentrations are primary concerns to the water quality of the river.A 29-river mile reach of the Little Sac River is on the 1998 list of waters of Missouri designated under section 303(d) of the Federal Clean Water Act because of fecal coliform densities larger than the Missouri Department of Natural Resources standard (hereinafter referred to as Missouri standard) of 200 colonies per 100 milliliters for whole-body contact recreation. During an investigation of the water quality in the Little Sac River by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Watershed Committee of the Ozarks, fecal coliform bacteria densities exceeded the Missouri standard (the standard applies from April 1 through October 31) in one sample from a site near Walnut Grove. At other sites on the Little Sac River, the Missouri standard was exceeded in two samples and equalled in one sample upstream from the Northwest Wastewater Treatment Plant (NW WTP) and in one sample immediately downstream from the NW WTP.Effluent from the NW WTP flows into the Little Sac River. Annually from April 1 through October 31, the effluent is disinfected to meet the Missouri standard for whole-body contact recreation. Fecal coliform bacteria densities in samples collected during this period generally were less than 100 colonies per 100 milliliters. For the rest of the year when the effluent was not disinfected, the bacteria densities in samples ranged from 50 (sample collected on November 1, 2000) to 10,100 colonies per 100 milliliters (both counts were non-ideal). When the effluent was disinfected and the fecal coliform bacteria density was small, samples from sites upstream and downstream from the NW WTP had a bacteria density larger than the density in the effluent. Other sources of bacteria are likely to be present in the study area in addition to the NW WTP. These potential sources include effluent from domestic septic systems and animal wastes.Nutrient concentrations in the Little Sac River immediately downstream from the NW WTP were affected by effluent from the NW WTP and possibly other sources. At two sites upstream from the NW WTP, median nitrite plus nitrate concentrations were 1.1 and 1.4 milligrams per liter. The median nitrite plus nitrate concentration for the effluent from the NW WTP was 6.4 milligrams per liter, and the median concentration decreased downstream in the Little Sac River to 2.2, 1.2, and 0.56 milligrams per liter.The effects of the effluent from the NW WTP on the water quality of the Little Sac River downstream from the NW WTP were reflected in an increase in discharge (effluent from the NW WTP can be as much as 50 percent of the flow at the site about 1.5 river miles downstream from the NW WTP), an increase in specific conductance values, an increase in several inorganic constituent concentrations, including calcium, magnesium, and sulfate, and a large increase in sodium and chloride concentrations. The effluent from the NW WTP seemed to have no effect on the pH value, temperature, and dissolved oxygen concentrations in the Little Sac River.Results of repetitive element polymerase chain reaction (rep-PCR) pattern analysis indicated that most Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria in water samples probably were from nonhuman sources, such as horses and cattle. The rep-PCR pattern analysis indicated that horses were an important source of E. coli downstream from the NW WTP, which was consistent with horses pastured adjacent to the sampling site. Fecal coliform bacteria loads increased upstream from the NW WTP from the most upstream site to the site immediately upstream from the NW WTP. Loads in the effluent from the NW WTP and also tho

Photocatalytic processes assisted by artificial solar light for soil washing effluent treatment.

PubMed

Satyro, Suéllen; Race, Marco; Marotta, Raffaele; Dezotti, Márcia; Guida, Marco; Clarizia, Laura

2017-03-01

Contaminated soil has become a growing issue in recent years. The most common technique used to remove contaminants (such as metals) from the soil is the soil washing process. However, this process produces a final effluent containing chelating agents (i.e., ethylenediaminedisuccinic acid, also known as EDDS) and extracted metals (i.e., Cu, Fe, and Zn) at concentrations higher than discharge limits allowed by the Italian and Brazilian environmental law. Therefore, it is necessary to develop further treatments before its proper disposal or reuse. In the present study, soil washing tests were carried out through two sequential paths. Moreover, different artificial sunlight-driven photocatalytic treatments were used to remove Cu, Zn, Fe, and EDDS from soil washing effluents. Metal concentrations after the additional treatment were within the Brazilian and Italian regulatory limits for discharging in public sewers. The combined TiO 2 -photocatalytic processes applied were enough to decontaminate the effluents, allowing their reuse in soil washing treatment. Ecotoxicological assessment using different living organisms was carried out to assess the impact of the proposed two-step photocatalytic process on the effluent ecotoxicity. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Comparative reduction of Giardia cysts, F+ coliphages, sulphite reducing clostridia and fecal coliforms by wastewater treatment processes.

PubMed

Nasser, Abidelfatah M; Benisti, Neta-Lee; Ofer, Naomi; Hovers, Sivan; Nitzan, Yeshayahu

2017-01-28

Advanced wastewater treatment processes are applied to prevent the environmental dissemination of pathogenic microorganisms. Giardia lamblia causes a severe disease called giardiasis, and is highly prevalent in untreated wastewater worldwide. Monitoring the microbial quality of wastewater effluents is usually based on testing for the levels of indicator microorganisms in the effluents. This study was conducted to compare the suitability of fecal coliforms, F+ coliphages and sulfide reducing clostridia (SRC) as indicators for the reduction of Giardia cysts in two full-scale wastewater treatment plants. The treatment process consists of activated sludge, coagulation, high rate filtration and either chlorine or UV disinfection. The results of the study demonstrated that Giardia cysts are highly prevalent in raw wastewater at an average concentration of 3600 cysts/L. Fecal coliforms, F+ coliphages and SRC were also detected at high concentrations in raw wastewater. Giardia cysts were efficiently removed (3.6 log 10 ) by the treatment train. The greatest reduction was observed for fecal coliforms (9.6 log 10 ) whereas the least reduction was observed for F+ coliphages (2.1 log 10 ) following chlorine disinfection. Similar reduction was observed for SRC by filtration and disinfection by either UV (3.6 log 10 ) or chlorine (3.3 log 10 ). Since F+ coliphage and SRC were found to be more resistant than fecal coliforms for the tertiary treatment processes, they may prove to be more suitable as indicators for Giardia. The results of this study demonstrated that advanced wastewater treatment may prove efficient for the removal of Giardia cysts and may prevent its transmission when treated effluents are applied for crop irrigation or streams restoration.

Fate of wastewater effluent hER-agonists and hER-antagonists during soil aquifer treatment.

PubMed

Otakuye, Conroy; Quanrud, David M; Ela, Wendell P; Wicke, Daniel; Lansey, Kevin E; Arnold, Robert G

2005-04-01

Estrogen activity was measured in wastewater effluent before and after polishing via soil-aquifer treatment (SAT) using both a (hER-beta) competitive binding assay and a transcriptional activation (yeast estrogen screen, YES) assay. From the competitive binding assay, the equivalent 17alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE2) concentration in secondary effluent was 4.7 nM but decreased to 0.22 nM following SAT. The YES assay indicated that the equivalent EE2 concentration in the same effluent sample was below the method-detection limit (<2.5 x 10(-3) nM) but increased to 0.68 nM in effluent polished via SAT processes. It was hypothesized thattest-dependent differences arose because the competitive binding assay responds positively to both estrogen mimics and anti-estrogens; the YES assay responds to estrogen mimics, but test response is inhibited by anti-estrogens. The hypothesis was supported when organics extracted from wastewater effluent inhibited the YES test response to EE2 (anti-estrogenic effect). A similar extract prepared from SAT-polished effluent augmented the EE2 curve (agonist response). When hydrophobic organics in secondary effluent were fractionated, assay results indicated that several physically distinct anti-estrogens were present in the sample. From this work, it is evident that transcription-activation bioassays alone should not be relied upon to measure estrogenic activity in complex environmental samples because the simultaneous presence of both agonists and antagonist compounds can yield false negatives. Multiple in vitro bioassays, sample fractionation or tests designed to measure anti-estrogenic activity can be used to overcome this problem. It is also clear that there are circumstances under which SAT does not completely remove estrogenic activity during municipal wastewater effluent polishing.

Emerging pollutants in wastewater: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Deblonde, Tiphanie; Cossu-Leguille, Carole; Hartemann, Philippe

2011-11-01

For 20 years, many articles report the presence of new compounds, called "emerging compounds", in wastewater and aquatic environments. The US EPA (United States - Environmental Protection Agency) defines emerging pollutants as new chemicals without regulatory status and which impact on environment and human health are poorly understood. The objective of this work was to identify data on emerging pollutants concentrations in wastewater, in influent and effluent from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and to determine the performance of sewage disposal. We collected 44 publications in our database. We sought especially for data on phthalates, Bisphenol A and pharmaceuticals (including drugs for human health and disinfectants). We gathered concentration data and chose 50 pharmaceutical molecules, six phthalates and Bisphenol A. The concentrations measured in the influent ranged from 0.007 to 56.63 μg per liter and the removal rates ranges from 0% (contrast media) to 97% (psychostimulant). Caffeine is the molecule whose concentration in influent was highest among the molecules investigated (in means 56.63 μg per liter) with a removal rate around 97%, leading to a concentration in the effluent that did not exceed 1.77 μg per liter. The concentrations of ofloxacin were the lowest and varied between 0.007 and 2.275 μg per liter in the influent treatment plant and 0.007 and 0.816 μg per liter in the effluent. Among phthalates, DEHP is the most widely used, and quantified by the authors in wastewater, and the rate of removal of phthalates is greater than 90% for most of the studied compounds. The removal rate for antibiotics is about 50% and 71% for Bisphenol A. Analgesics, anti inflammatories and beta-blockers are the most resistant to treatment (30-40% of removal rate). Some pharmaceutical molecules for which we have not collected many data and which concentrations seem high as Tetracycline, Codeine and contrast products deserve further research. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Observed and predicted reproduction of Ceriodaphnia dubia exposed to chloride, sulfate, and bicarbonate

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lasier, Peter J.; Hardin, Ian R.

2010-01-01

Chronic toxicities of Cl-, SO42-, and HCO3- to Ceriodaphnia dubia were evaluated in low- and moderate-hardness waters using a three-brood reproduction test method. Toxicity tests of anion mixtures were used to determine interaction effects and to produce models predicting C. dubia reproduction. Effluents diluted with low- and moderate-hardness waters were tested with animals acclimated to low- and moderate-hardness conditions to evaluate the models and to assess the effects of hardness and acclimation. Sulfate was significantly less toxic than Cl- and HCO3- in both types of water. Chloride and HCO3- toxicities were similar in low-hardness water, but HCO3- was the most toxic in moderate-hardness water. Low acute-to-chronic ratios indicate that toxicities of these anions will decrease quickly with dilution. Hardness significantly reduced Cl- and SO42- toxicity but had little effect on HCO3-. Chloride toxicity decreased with an increase in Na+ concentration, and CO3- toxicity may have been reduced by the dissolved organic carbon in effluent. Multivariate models using measured anion concentrations in effluents with low to moderate hardness levels provided fairly accurate predictions of reproduction. Determinations of toxicity for several effluents differed significantly depending on the hardness of the dilution water and the hardness of the water used to culture test animals. These results can be used to predict the contribution of elevated anion concentrations to the chronic toxicity of effluents; to identify effluents that are toxic due to contaminants other than Cl-, SO42-, and HCO3-; and to provide a basis for chemical substitutions in manufacturing processes.

Fate of antibiotics from hospital and domestic sources in a sewage network.

PubMed

Dinh, QuocTuc; Moreau-Guigon, Elodie; Labadie, Pierre; Alliot, Fabrice; Teil, Marie-Jeanne; Blanchard, Martine; Eurin, Joelle; Chevreuil, Marc

2017-01-01

Investigation of domestic and hospital effluents in a sewage system of an elementary watershed showed that antibiotics belonging to eight classes were present with concentrations ranging from

Laser-based detection of chemical contraband

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clemmer, Robert G.; Kelly, James F.; Martin, Steven W.; Mong, Gary M.; Sharpe, Steven W.

1997-02-01

The goal of our work is tow fold; 1) develop a portable and rapid laser based air sampler for detection of specific chemical contraband and 2) compile a spectral data base in both the near- and mid-IR of sufficiently high quality to be useful for gas phase spectroscopic identification of chemical contraband. During the synthesis or 'cooking' of many illicit chemical substances, relatively high concentrations of volatile solvents, chemical precursors and byproducts are unavoidably released to the atmosphere. In some instances, the final product may have sufficient vapor pressure to be detectable in the surrounding air. The detection of a single high-value effluent or the simultaneous detection of two or more low-value effluents can be used as reliable indicators of a nearby clandestine cooking operation. The designation of high- versus low-value effluent reflects both the commercial availability and legitimate usage of a specific chemical. This paper will describe PNNL's progress and efforts towards the development of a portable laser based air sampling system for the detection of clandestine manufacturing of methamphetamine. Although our current efforts ar focused on methamphetamine, we see no fundamental limitations on detection of other forms of chemical contraband manufacturing. This also includes the synthesis of certain classes of chemical weapons that have recently been deployed by terrorist groups.

Reuse of municipal effluent with drip irrigation and evaluation the effect on soil properties in a semi-arid area.

PubMed

Hassanli, Ali M; Javan, Mahmood; Saadat, Yusof

2008-09-01

Irrigation with municipal effluent was evaluated during 25 months in Southern Iran from 2003 to 2005 in which 14 tree species were irrigated with effluent and borehole water at an annual supply rate of 3,940 and 5,395 m(3) ha(-1), respectively. To mitigate the environmental effects, a drip irrigation system was designed and the amount of applied water based on pan evaporation was measured by flow meters and soil properties were monitored. The statistical results showed that the applied effluent had no adverse effect on soil properties. The soil salinity was reduced from 8.2, 6.8 and 7.0 dSm(-1) to 1.07, 1.12 and 3.5 dSm(-1 )in the soil layers 0-30, 30-60 and 60-90 cm, respectively. The SAR decreased significantly, while soil pH increased by 0.8 and 0.6 units in the layers 0-30 and 30-60 cm. A total application of 9,335 m(3)ha(-1 )of effluent with a nitrogen and phosphorus concentration of 7.9 and 10.3 mg l(-1), added 73 and 101 kg ha(-1) of nitrogen and phosphorus to the soil. Organic carbon also increased significantly. Twenty-five months irrigation with effluent caused a slight increase in soil bulk density and a slight decrease in mean permeability. Because of an efficient filtration and high discharge rate of bubblers (drippers), no considerable sign of clogging was observed.

Effect of recirculation on organic matter removal in a hybrid constructed wetland system.

PubMed

Ayaz, S C; Findik, N; Akça, L; Erdoğan, N; Kinaci, C

2011-01-01

This research project aimed to determine the technologically feasible and applicable wastewater treatment systems which will be constructed to solve environmental problems caused by small communities in Turkey. Pilot-scale treatment of a small community's wastewater was performed over a period of more than 2 years in order to show applicability of these systems. The present study involves removal of organic matter and suspended solids in serially operated horizontal (HFCW) and vertical (VFCW) sub-surface flow constructed wetlands. The pilot-scale wetland was constructed downstream of anaerobic reactors at the campus of TUBITAK-MRC. Anaerobically pretreated wastewater was introduced into this hybrid two-stage sub-surface flow wetland system (TSCW). Wastewater was first introduced into the horizontal sub-surface flow system and then the vertical flow system before being discharged. Recirculation of the effluent was tested in the system. When the recirculation ratio was 100%, average removal efficiencies for TSCW were 91 +/- 4% for COD, 83 +/- 10% for BOD and 96 +/- 3% for suspended solids with average effluent concentrations of 9 +/- 5 mg/L COD, 6 +/- 3 mg/L BOD and 1 mg/L for suspended solids. Comparing non-recirculation and recirculation periods, the lowest effluent concentrations were obtained with a 100% recirculation ratio. The effluent concentrations met the Turkish regulations for discharge limits of COD, BOD and TSS in each case. The study showed that a hybrid constructed wetland system with recirculation is a very effective method of obtaining very low effluent organic matter and suspended solids concentrations downstream of anaerobic pretreatment of domestic wastewaters in small communities.

Innovative treatment system for digester liquor using anammox process.

PubMed

Furukawa, Kenji; Inatomi, Yasuhiko; Qiao, Sen; Quan, Lai; Yamamoto, Taichi; Isaka, Kazuichi; Sumino, Tatsuo

2009-11-01

This study demonstrated that partial nitritation using nitrifying activated sludge entrapped in a polyethylene glycol (PEG) gel carrier, as a pretreatment to anammox process, could be successfully applied to digester liquor of biogas plant at a nitrogen loading rate of 3.0 kg-N/m(3)/d. The nitritation process produced an effluent with a NO(2)-N/NH(4)-N ratio between 1.0 and 1.4, which was found to be suitable for the subsequent anammox process. A high SS concentration (2000-3000 mg/l) in the digester liquor did not affect partial nitritation treatment performances. Effluent from this partial nitritation reactor was successfully treated in the anammox reactor using anammox sludge entrapped in the PEG gel carrier with T-N removal rates of greater than 4.0 kg-N/m(3)/d. Influent BOD and SS contents did not inhibit anammox activity of the anammox gel carrier. The combination of partial nitritation and anammox reactors using PEG entrapped nitrifying and anammox bacteria was shown to be effective for the removal of high concentration ammonium in the digester liquor of a biogas plant.

Treatment of urea manufacturing facility effluent by Hopea odorata and Khaya ivorensis.

PubMed

Yavari, Sara; Malakahmad, Amirhossein; Sapari, Nasiman B; Yavari, Saba

2017-04-01

Phytoremediation is an environmentally friendly and sustainable alternative for treatment of nitrogen-enriched wastewaters. In this study, Ta-khian (Hopea odorata) and Lagos mahogany (Khaya ivorensis), two tropical timber plants, were investigated for their performances in treatment of urea manufacturing factory effluent with high nitrogen (N) content. Plant seedlings received four concentrations of N (190, 240, 290 and 340 mg/L N) in laboratory-scale constructed wetlands every 4 days for a duration of 8 weeks. The solution volumes supplied to each container, amount of N recovered by plants and plant growth characteristics were measured throughout the experiment. Results showed that Ta-khian plants were highly effective at reducing N concentration and volume of water. A maximum of 63.05% N recovery was obtained by Ta-khian plants grown in 290 mg/L N, which was assimilated in the chlorophyll molecule structure and shoot biomass. Significant positive correlations have been shown between N recovery percentages and plant growth parameters. Ta-Khian plants can be applied as suitable phytoremediators for mitigating N pollution in water sources.

Report on Analyses of WAC Samples of Evaporator Overheads - 2004

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

OJI, LAWRENCE

2004-08-16

All water received into ETF requires characterization versus the defined Waste Acceptance Criteria. Currently much of the water received by ETF comes from the F and H Evaporator Overheads. Concentration, Storage and Transfer Engineering issued a modified list of species to be determined. In March of 2004, the Tank Farm submitted annual samples from 2F, 2H and 3H Evaporator Overhead streams for characterization to verify compliance with the Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF) Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) and to look for organic species. With the exception of high silicon in the 2H and slightly high tritium in 2F evaporator overheads, allmore » the overheads samples were found to be in compliance with the Effluent Treatment Facility WAC. The silicon concentration in the 2H-evaporator overhead, at 44 mg/L, was above the ETF WAC limit of 5 mg/L and tritium at 2.11E+05 dpm/mL in 2F overhead sample was above the ETF WAC limit of 1.2E+05 dpm/mL.« less

Simultaneous C and N removal from saline salmon effluents in filter reactors comprising anoxic-anaerobic-aerobic processes: effect of recycle ratio.

PubMed

Giustinianovich, Elisa A; Aspé, Estrella R; Huiliñir, César E; Roeckel, Marlene D

2014-01-01

Salmon processing generates saline effluents with high protein load. To treat these effluents, three compact tubular filter reactors were installed and an integrated anoxic/anaerobic/aerobic process was developed with recycling flow from the reactor's exit to the inlet stream in order to save organic matter (OM) for denitrification. The reactors were aerated in the upper section with recycle ratios (RR) of 0, 2, and 10, respectively, at 30°C. A tubular reactor behave as a plug flow reactor when RR = 0, and as a mixed flow reactor when recycle increases, thus, different RR values were used to evaluate how it affects the product distribution and the global performance. Diluted salmon process effluent was prepared as substrate. Using loads of 1.0 kg COD m(-3)d(-1) and 0.15 kg total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) m(-3)d(-1) at HRT of 2 d, 100% removal efficiencies for nitrite and nitrate were achieved in the anoxic-denitrifying section without effect of the dissolved oxygen in the recycled flow on denitrification. Removals >98% for total organic carbon (TOC) was achieved in the three reactors. The RR had no effect on the TOC removal; nevertheless a higher efficiency in total nitrogen removal in the reactor with the highest recycle ratio was observed: 94.3% for RR = 10 and 46.6% for RR = 2. Results showed that the proposed layout with an alternative distribution in a compact reactor can efficiently treat high organic carbon and nitrogen concentrations from a saline fish effluent with OM savings in denitrification.

The effect of residual cationic polymers in swine wastewater on the fouling of reverse osmosis membranes.

PubMed

Pedersen, C O; Masse, L; Hjorth, M

2014-01-01

Solid-liquid separation with flocculation can be used as pre-treatment for reverse osmosis (RO) filtration as it produces a liquid fraction (LF) low in suspended solids (SS). However, residual polymers in the LF may foul the membrane. Membrane fouling during RO filtration of swine wastewater containing polymers was investigated with respect to polymer charge density (CD), effluent SS concentration and membrane surface charge. Effluents with 765 mg/L SS and without SS were spiked with low and medium CD polymers (0-40 mg/L effluent) then processed with RO membranes having low and high negative surface charges. Fouling intensity was evaluated by comparing permeate flux and water flux recovery of fouled and cleaned membranes. For effluents containing SS, the presence of polymer reduced permeate flux by 4-16% and water flux recovery of the fouled membrane by 0-18%, relative to effluents without polymer. The extent of the fouling was higher with the low than the medium CD polymer. The fouling was mostly reversible as cleaning allowed for over 95% flux recovery, but the membrane with high negative surface charge was more susceptible to irreversible fouling. Adding the low CD polymer to feed without SS had no effect on permeate flux or flux recovery. Membrane fouling thus appeared to be caused by the polymer changing SS-membrane interaction. If flocculation is applied to pre-treat manure, a medium CD polymer should be used to optimize SS removal and a membrane with low surface charge should be selected to minimize fouling.

Characterisation of winery wastewater from continuous flow settling basins and waste stabilisation ponds over the course of 1 year: implications for biological wastewater treatment and land application.

PubMed

Welz, P J; Holtman, G; Haldenwang, R; le Roes-Hill, M

2016-11-01

Wineries generate 0.2 to 4 L of wastewater per litre of wine produced. Many cellars make use of irrigation as a means of disposal, either directly or after storage. In order to consider the potential downstream impacts of storage/no storage, this study critically compared the seasonal organic and inorganic composition of fresh winery effluent with effluent that had been stored in waste stabilisation ponds. Ethanol and short chain volatile fatty acids were the main contributors to chemical oxygen demand (COD), with average concentrations of 2,086 and 882 mgCOD/L, respectively. Total phenolics were typically present in concentrations <100 mg/L. The concentration of sodium from cleaning agents was higher in the non-crush season, while the converse was true for organics. The effluent was nitrogen-deficient for biological treatment, with COD:N ratios of 0.09 to 1.2. There was an accumulation of propionic and butyric acid during storage. The composition of the pond effluent was more stable in character, and it is possible that bacterial and algal nitrogen fixation in such systems may enhance biological wastewater treatment by natural nitrogen supplementation. It is therefore recommended that if land requirements can be met, winery effluent should be stored in ponds prior to treatment.

Quantifying the impact of septic tank systems on eutrophication risk in rural headwaters.

PubMed

Withers, P J A; Jarvie, H P; Stoate, C

2011-04-01

Septic tank systems (STS) are a potential source of nutrient emissions to surface waters but few data exist in the UK to quantify their significance for eutrophication. We monitored the impact of STS on nutrient concentrations in a stream network around a typical English village over a 1-year period. Septic tank effluent discharging via a pipe directly into one stream was highly concentrated in soluble N (8-63mgL(-1)) and P (<1-14mgL(-1)) and other nutrients (Na, K, Cl, B and Mn) typical of detergent and household inputs. Ammonium-N (NH(4)N) and soluble reactive P (SRP) fractions were dominant (70-85% of total) and average concentrations of nitrite-N (NO(2)N) were above levels considered harmful to fish (0.1mgL(-1)). Lower nutrient concentrations were recorded at a ditch and a stream site, but range and average values downstream of rural habitation were still 4 to 10-fold greater than those in upstream sections. At the ditch site, where flow volumes were low, annual flow-weighted concentrations of NH(4)N and SRP increased from 0.04 and 0.07mgL(-1), respectively upstream to 0.55 and 0.21mgL(-1) downstream. At the stream site, flow volumes were twice as large and flow-weighted concentrations increased much less; from 0.04 to 0.21mgL(-1) for NH(4)N and from 0.06 to 0.08mgL(-1) for SRP. At all sites, largest nutrient concentrations were recorded under low flow and stream discharge was the most important factor determining the eutrophication impact of septic tank systems. The very high concentrations, intercorrelation and dilution patterns of SRP, NH(4)-N and the effluent markers Na and B suggested that soakaways in the heavy clay catchment soils were not retaining and treating the septic tank effluents efficiently, with profound implications for stream biodiversity. Water companies, water regulators and rural communities therefore need to be made more aware of the potential impacts of STS on water quality so that their management can be optimised to reduce the risk of potential eutrophication and toxicity to aquatic ecosystems during summer low flow periods. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of Ammonium Ions, Organic Load and Flow Rate on the UV/Chlorine AOP Applied to Effluent of a Wastewater Treatment Plant at Pilot Scale.

PubMed

Rott, Eduard; Kuch, Bertram; Lange, Claudia; Richter, Philipp; Minke, Ralf

2018-06-16

This work investigates the influence of ammonium ions and the organic load (chemical oxygen demand (COD)) on the UV/chlorine AOP regarding the maintenance of free available chlorine (FAC) and elimination of 16 emerging contaminants (ECs) from wastewater treatment plant effluent (WWTE) at pilot scale (UV chamber at 0.4 kW). COD inhibited the FAC maintenance in the UV chamber influent at a ratio of 0.16 mg FAC per mg COD ( k HOCl⁻COD = 182 M −1 s −1 ). An increase in ammonium ion concentration led to a stoichiometric decrease of the FAC concentration in the UV chamber influent. Especially in cold seasons due to insufficient nitrification, the ammonium ion concentration in WWTE can become so high that it becomes impossible to achieve sufficiently high FAC concentrations in the UV chamber influent. For all ECs, the elimination effect by the UV/combined Cl₂ AOP (UV/CC) was not significantly higher than that by sole UV treatment. Accordingly, the UV/chlorine AOP is very sensitive and loses its effectiveness drastically as soon as there is no FAC but only CC in the UV chamber influent. Therefore, within the electrical energy consumption range tested (0.13⁻1 kWh/m³), a stable EC elimination performance of the UV/chlorine AOP cannot be maintained throughout the year.

Groundwater quality impacts from the land application of treated municipal wastewater in a large karstic spring basin: Chemical and microbiological indicators

USGS Publications Warehouse

Katz, B.G.; Griffin, Dale W.; Davis, J.H.

2009-01-01

Geochemical and microbiological techniques were used to assess water-quality impacts from the land application of treated municipal wastewater in the karstic Wakulla Springs basin in northern Florida. Nitrate-N concentrations have increased from about 0.2 to as high as 1.1??mg/L (milligrams per liter) during the past 30??years in Wakulla Springs, a regional discharge point for groundwater (mean flow about 11.3??m3/s) from the Upper Floridan aquifer (UFA). A major source of nitrate to the UFA is the approximately 64??million L/d (liters per day) of treated municipal wastewater applied at a 774??ha (hectare) sprayfield farming operation. About 260 chemical and microbiological indicators were analyzed in water samples from the sprayfield effluent reservoir, wells upgradient from the sprayfield, and from 21 downgradient wells and springs to assess the movement of contaminants into the UFA. Concentrations of nitrate-N, boron, chloride, were elevated in water samples from the sprayfield effluent reservoir and in monitoring wells at the sprayfield boundary. Mixing of sprayfield effluent water was indicated by a systematic decrease in concentrations of these constituents with distance downgradient from the sprayfield, with about a 10-fold dilution at Wakulla Springs, about 15??km (kilometers) downgradient from the sprayfield. Groundwater with elevated chloride and boron concentrations in wells downgradient from the sprayfield and in Wakulla Springs had similar nitrate isotopic signatures, whereas the nitrate isotopic composition of water from other sites was consistent with inorganic fertilizers or denitrification. The sprayfield operation was highly effective in removing most studied organic wastewater and pharmaceutical compounds and microbial indicators. Carbamazepine (an anti-convulsant drug) was the only pharmaceutical compound detected in groundwater from two sprayfield monitoring wells (1-2??ppt). One other detection of carbamazepine was found in a distant well water sample where enteroviruses also were detected, indicating a likely influence from a nearby septic tank.

Groundwater quality impacts from the land application of treated municipal wastewater in a large karstic spring basin: chemical and microbiological indicators.

PubMed

Katz, Brian G; Griffin, Dale W; Davis, J Hal

2009-04-01

Geochemical and microbiological techniques were used to assess water-quality impacts from the land application of treated municipal wastewater in the karstic Wakulla Springs basin in northern Florida. Nitrate-N concentrations have increased from about 0.2 to as high as 1.1 mg/L (milligrams per liter) during the past 30 years in Wakulla Springs, a regional discharge point for groundwater (mean flow about 11.3 m(3)/s) from the Upper Floridan aquifer (UFA). A major source of nitrate to the UFA is the approximately 64 million L/d (liters per day) of treated municipal wastewater applied at a 774 ha (hectare) sprayfield farming operation. About 260 chemical and microbiological indicators were analyzed in water samples from the sprayfield effluent reservoir, wells upgradient from the sprayfield, and from 21 downgradient wells and springs to assess the movement of contaminants into the UFA. Concentrations of nitrate-N, boron, chloride, were elevated in water samples from the sprayfield effluent reservoir and in monitoring wells at the sprayfield boundary. Mixing of sprayfield effluent water was indicated by a systematic decrease in concentrations of these constituents with distance downgradient from the sprayfield, with about a 10-fold dilution at Wakulla Springs, about 15 km (kilometers) downgradient from the sprayfield. Groundwater with elevated chloride and boron concentrations in wells downgradient from the sprayfield and in Wakulla Springs had similar nitrate isotopic signatures, whereas the nitrate isotopic composition of water from other sites was consistent with inorganic fertilizers or denitrification. The sprayfield operation was highly effective in removing most studied organic wastewater and pharmaceutical compounds and microbial indicators. Carbamazepine (an anti-convulsant drug) was the only pharmaceutical compound detected in groundwater from two sprayfield monitoring wells (1-2 ppt). One other detection of carbamazepine was found in a distant well water sample where enteroviruses also were detected, indicating a likely influence from a nearby septic tank.

Mass Balance of Fipronil and Total Toxicity of Fipronil-Related Compounds in Process Streams during Conventional Wastewater and Wetland Treatment

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Attenuation of the pesticide fipronil and its major degradates was determined during conventional wastewater treatment and wetland treatment. Analysis of flow-weighted composite samples by liquid and gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry showed fipronil occurrence at 12–31 ng/L in raw sewage, primary effluent, secondary effluent, chlorinated effluent, and wetland effluent. Mean daily loads of total fipronil related compounds in raw sewage and in plant effluent after chlorination were statistically indistinguishable (p = 0.29; n = 10), whereas fipronil itself was partially removed (25 ± 3%; p = 0.00025; n = 10); the associated loss in toxicity was balanced by the formation of toxic fipronil degradates, showing conventional treatment to be unfit for reducing overall toxicity. In contrast to these findings at the municipal wastewater treatment, both parental fipronil and the sum of fipronil-related compounds were removed in the wetland with efficiencies of 44 ± 4% and 47 ± 13%, respectively. Total fipronil concentrations in plant effluent (28 ± 6 ng/L as fipronil) were within an order of magnitude of half-maximal effective concentrations (EC50) of nontarget invertebrates. This is the first systematic assessment of the fate of fipronil and its major degradates during full-scale conventional wastewater and constructed wetland treatment. PMID:26710933

Treatment of piggery wastes in waste stabilization ponds.

PubMed

Estrada, V E E; Hernández, D E A

2002-01-01

The piggery industry produces high effluent loads. This is due to the high concentration of animals kept in a confined space, foods with high protein content that are not well assimilated by the animals, and poor on-farm water management. In this study, we present the characteristics, design, site selection, soil study, and the construction of a pilot pond system for a family farm located in a warm climate area. The design includes a solids sedimentation phase, an anaerobic pond, a facultative pond and three maturation ponds. Once the system had reached steady state, the organic and bacterial kinetic constants were determined for each pond. The control parameters were determined and the dissolved oxygen and removal efficiency profiles were obtained. The results indicate that the effluent from the second maturation pond complies with the Official Mexican Standard for reuse in agriculture ("1000 FC/100 ml).

Eco-sewerage System Design for Modern Office Buildings: based on Vacuum and Source-separation Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Kangning; Wang, Chengwen; Zheng, Min; Yuan, Xin

2010-11-01

This study aimed to construct an on-site eco-sewerage system for modern office buildings in urban area based on combined innovative technologies of vacuum and source-separation. Results showed that source-separated grey water had low concentrations of pollutants, which helped the reuse of grey water. However, the system had a low separation efficiency between the yellow water and the brown water, which was caused by the plug problem in the urine collection from the urine-diverting toilets. During the storage of yellow water for liquid fertilizer production, nearly all urea nitrogen transferred to ammonium nitrogen and about 2/3 phosphorus was lost because of the struvite precipitation. Total bacteria and coliforms increased first in the storage, but then decreased to low concentrations. The anaerobic/anoxic/aerobic MBR had high elimination rates of COD, ammonium nitrogen and total nitrogen of the brown water, which were 94.2%, 98.1% and 95.1%, respectively. However, the effluent still had high contents of colority, nitrate and phosphorus, which affected the application of the effluent for flushing water. Even though, the effluent might be used as dilution water for the yellow water fertilizer. Based on the results and the assumption of an ideal operation of the vacuum source-separation system, a future plan for on-site eco-sewerage system of modern office buildings was constructed. Its sustainability was validated by the analysis of the substances flow of water and nutrients.

Physical and chemical effects of grain aggregates on the Palos Verdes margin, southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Drake, D.E.; Eganhouse, R.; McArthur, W.

2002-01-01

Large discharges of wastewater and particulate matter from the outfalls of the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts onto the Palos Verdes shelf since 1937 have produced an effluent-affected sediment deposit characterized by low bulk density, elevated organic matter content, and a high percentage of fine silt and clay particles relative to underlying native sands and sandy silts. Comparison of the results of grain-size analyses using a gentle wet-sieving technique that preserves certain grain aggregates to the results of standard size analyses of disaggregated particles shows that high percentages (up to 50%) of the silt and clay fractions of the effluent-affected mud are incorporated in aggregates having intermediate diameters in the fine-to-medium sand size range (63-500 ??m), Scanning electron microscope images of the aggregates show that they are predominantly oval fecal pellets or irregularly shaped fragments of pellets. Deposit-feeding polychaete worms such as Capitella sp. and Mediomastus sp., abundant in the mud-rich effluent-affected sediment on Palos Verdes shelf, are probably responsible for most of the grain aggregates through fecal pellet production. Particle settling rates and densities, and the concentrations of organic carbon and p,p???-DDE, a metabolite of the hydrophobic pesticide DDT, were determined for seven grain-size fractions in the effluent-affected sediment. Fecal pellet grain densities ranged from about 1.2 to 1.5 g/cc, and their average settling rates were reduced to the equivalent of about one phi size relative to spherical quartz grains of the same diameter. However, repackaging of fine silt and clay grains into the sand-sized fecal pellets causes an effective settling rate increase of up to 3 orders of magnitude for the smallest particles incorporated in the pellets. Moreover, organic carbon and p,p???-DDE exhibit a bimodal distribution with relatively high concentrations in the finest size fraction (0-20 ??m), as expected, and a second concentration peak associated with the sand-sized fecal pellets. The repackaging of fine-grained particles along with their adsorbed chemical compounds into relatively fast-settling pellets has important implications for the mobilization and transport of the sediment and the desorption of chemicals from grain surfaces. ?? 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.

Triclosan resistant bacteria in sewage effluent and cross-resistance to antibiotics.

PubMed

Coetzee, I; Bezuidenhout, C C; Bezuidenhout, J J

2017-09-01

The purpose of this study was to identify triclosan tolerant heterotrophic plate count (HPC) bacteria from sewage effluent and to determine cross-resistance to antibiotics. R2 agar supplemented with triclosan was utilised to isolate triclosan resistant bacteria and 16S rRNA gene sequencing was conducted to identify the isolates. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of organisms were determined at selected concentrations of triclosan and cross-resistance to various antibiotics was performed. High-performance liquid chromatography was conducted to quantify levels of triclosan in sewage water. Forty-four HPC were isolated and identified as the five main genera, namely, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Enterococcus, Brevibacillus and Paenibacillus. MIC values of these isolates ranged from 0.125 mg/L to >1 mg/L of triclosan, while combination of antimicrobials indicated synergism or antagonism. Levels of triclosan within the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) ranged between 0.026 and 1.488 ppb. Triclosan concentrations were reduced by the WWTP, but small concentrations enter receiving freshwater bodies. Results presented indicate that these levels are sufficient to maintain triclosan resistant bacteria under controlled conditions. Further studies are thus needed into the impact of this scenario on such natural receiving water bodies.

Prostacyclin production in rabbit arteries in situ: inhibition by arachidonic acid-induced endothelial cell damage or by low-dose aspirin.

PubMed

Ingerman-Wojenski, C; Silver, M J; Smith, J B; Nissenbaum, M; Sedar, A W

1981-04-01

The central artery of the rabbit ear was perfused in situ and effluent fractions from the artery were assayed for 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha (6-K-PGF1 alpha) and thromboxane B2 (TxB2), the stable metabolites of prostacyclin (PGI2) and TxA2, using specific radioimmunoassays. These metabolites of arachidonic acid (AA) were not detected in the effluent during infusion of Tyrode's solution but both metabolites were detected when small amounts of AA were infused into the artery. Examination of the arteries by scanning electron microscopy revealed that high concentrations of AA which caused a short burst of 6-K-PGF1 alpha and TxB2 production damaged the endothelial cells while lower concentrations which stimulated continuous production did not cause damage. When a non-damaging concentration of AA was infused into an artery that had previously received a damaging concentration, PG production was greatly reduced. Pretreatment of the rabbits with 4 mg/kg acetyl-salicylic acid (ASA) inhibited 6-K-PGF1 alpha production by the rabbit ear artery in response to AA and 70% inhibition was still evident 18 hours after ASA.

Distribution of effluent injected into the Boulder Zone of the Floridan aquifer system at the North District Wastewater Treatment Plant, southeastern Florida, 1997–2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

King, Jeffrey N.; Decker, Jeremy D.

2018-02-09

Nonhazardous, secondarily treated, domestic wastewater (effluent) has been injected about 1 kilometer below land surface into the Boulder Zone of the Floridan aquifer system at the North District Wastewater Treatment Plant in southeastern Florida. The Boulder Zone contains saline, nonpotable water. Effluent transport out of the injection zone is a risk of underground effluent injection. At the North District Wastewater Treatment Plant, injected effluent was detected outside the Boulder Zone. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department, investigated effluent transport from the Boulder Zone to overlying permeable zones in the Floridan aquifer system.One conceptual model is presented to explain the presence of effluent outside of the injection zone in which effluent injected into the Boulder Zone was transported to the Avon Park permeable zone, forced by buoyancy and injection pressure. In this conceptual model, effluent injected primarily into the Boulder Zone reaches a naturally occurring feature (a karst-collapse structure) near an injection well, through which the effluent is transported vertically upward to the uppermost major permeable zone of the Lower Floridan aquifer. The effluent is then transported laterally through the uppermost major permeable zone of the Lower Floridan aquifer to another naturally occurring feature northwest of the North District Wastewater Treatment Plant, through which it is then transported vertically upward into the Avon Park permeable zone. In addition, a leak within a monitoring well, between monitoring zones, allowed interflow between the Avon Park permeable zone and the Upper Floridan aquifer. A groundwater flow and effluent transport simulation of the hydrogeologic system at the North District Wastewater Treatment Plant, based on the hypothesized and non-unique conceptualization of the subsurface hydrogeology and flow system, generally replicated measured effluent constituent concentration trends. The model was calibrated to match observed concentration trends for total ammonium (NH4+) and total dissolved solids.The investigation qualitatively indicates that fractures, karst-collapse structures, faults, or other hydrogeologic features may permit effluent injected into the Boulder Zone to be transported to overlying permeable zones in the Floridan aquifer system. These findings, however, are qualitative because the locations of transport pathways that might exist from the Boulder Zone to the Avon Park permeable zone are largely unknown.

Biomass production and nutrient removal potential of water hyacinth cultured in sewage effluent

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reddy, K.R.; Hueston, F.M.; McKim, T.

1985-05-01

Growth and nutrient uptake of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes (Mart) Solms) cultured in sewage effluent were measured over a period of 1 year in a prototype wastewater treatment system which has been in operation at Walt Disney World near Orlando, Florida. Annual productivity of water hyacinth cultured in primary sewage effluent (Channel II) was found to be in the range of 5 to 27 g dry wt m/sup -2/ day/sup -1/ (23.6 dry tons acre/sup -1/ yr/sup -1/). Average growth rate during the months of May through October 1982 for hyacinth cultured in Channel II (primary sewage effluent) and Channelmore » I (treated primary sewage effluent leaving Channel II) was about 16 g dry wt m/sup -2/ day/sup -1/ (27 dry tons acre/sup -1/ yr/sup -1/), compared to the growth rate of 13 g dry wt m/sup -2/ day/sup -1/ (22 dry tons acre/sup -1/ yr/sup -1/) for hyacinths cultured in secondary sewage effluent. Plants cultured in secondary sewage effluent generally had longer roots than the plants cultured in primary sewage effluent. A significant relationship was observed between the growth rate of hyacinth and the solar radiation. Nitrogen and P concentration of the plant tissue were higher in the hyacinths cultured during winter months compared to the plants grown in summer months. Average N and P concentration of the plants cultured in primary sewage effluent were found to be 3.7 percent N and 0.94 percent P, respectively, while the plants cultured in secondary sewage effluent had a total N and P content of 2.8 percent N and 0.79 percent P. Nutrient ratios of the major plant nutrients were found to be approximately the same as the nutrient ratios in the sewage effluent. Annual N and P uptake rates of hyacinth cultured in sewage effluent were found to be in the range of 1176 to 1193 kg N ha/sup -1/ yr/sup -1/ and 321 to 387 kg P ha/sup -1/ yr/sup -1/, respectively.« less

Antibiotic Concentrations Decrease during Wastewater Treatment but Persist at Low Levels in Reclaimed Water

PubMed Central

Kulkarni, Prachi; Olson, Nathan D.; Raspanti, Greg A.; Rosenberg Goldstein, Rachel E.; Gibbs, Shawn G.; Sapkota, Amir; Sapkota, Amy R.

2017-01-01

Reclaimed water has emerged as a potential irrigation solution to freshwater shortages. However, limited data exist on the persistence of antibiotics in reclaimed water used for irrigation. Therefore, we examined the fate of nine commonly-used antibiotics (ampicillin, azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, linezolid, oxacillin, oxolinic acid, penicillin G, pipemidic acid, and tetracycline) in differentially treated wastewater and reclaimed water from two U.S. regions. We collected 72 samples from two Mid-Atlantic and two Midwest treatment plants, as well as one Mid-Atlantic spray irrigation site. Antibiotic concentrations were measured using liquid-chromatography- tandem mass spectrometry. Data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon tests and Kruskal Wallis tests. Overall, antibiotic concentrations in effluent samples were lower than that of influent samples. Mid-Atlantic plants had similar influent but lower effluent antibiotic concentrations compared to Midwest plants. Azithromycin was detected at the highest concentrations (of all antibiotics) in influent and effluent samples from both regions. For most antibiotics, transport from the treatment plant to the irrigation site resulted in no changes in antibiotic concentrations, and UV treatment at the irrigation site had no effect on antibiotic concentrations in reclaimed water. Our findings show that low-level antibiotic concentrations persist in reclaimed water used for irrigation; however, the public health implications are unclear at this time. PMID:28635638

Presence of pharmaceuticals in benthic fauna living in a small stream affected by effluent from a municipal sewage treatment plant.

PubMed

Grabicova, Katerina; Grabic, Roman; Blaha, Martin; Kumar, Vimal; Cerveny, Daniel; Fedorova, Ganna; Randak, Tomas

2015-04-01

Aquatic organisms can be affected not only via polluted water but also via their food. In the present study, we examined bioaccumulation of seventy pharmaceuticals in two benthic organisms, Hydropsyche sp. and Erpobdella octoculata in a small stream affected by the effluent from a sewage treatment plant (STP) in Prachatice (South Bohemia region, Czech Republic). Furthermore, water samples from similar locations were analyzed for all seventy pharmaceuticals. In water samples from a control locality situated upstream of the STP, ten of the seventy pharmaceuticals were found with average total concentrations of 200 ng L(-1). In water samples collected at STP-affected sites (downstream the STP's effluent), twenty-nine, twenty-seven and twenty-nine pharmaceuticals were determined at average total concentrations of 2000, 2100 and 1700 ng L(-1), respectively. Six of the seventy pharmaceuticals (azithromycin, citalopram, clarithromycin, clotrimazole, sertraline, and verapamil) were found in Hydropsyche. Four pharmaceuticals (clotrimazole, diclofenac, sertraline, and valsartan) were detected in Erpobdella. Using evaluation criterion bioconcentration factor (BCF) is higher than 2000 we can assign azithromycin and sertraline as bioaccumulative pharmaceuticals. Even pharmaceuticals present at low levels in water were found in benthic organisms at relatively high concentrations (up to 85 ng g(-1) w.w. for azithromycin). Consequently, the uptake of pharmaceuticals via the food web could be an important exposure pathway for the wild fish population. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Triclosan: its occurrence, fate and effects in the Australian environment.

PubMed

Kookana, R S; Ying, G-G; Waller, N J

2011-01-01

Triclosan (TCS) is an antimicrobial agent used widely in household products such as soaps, household cleaners, cosmetics, sportswear, mouthwash and toothpaste. It is a bioaccumulative compound known for its high toxicity to algae, daphnids, fish and other aquatic organisms. We investigated its occurrence in effluents, biosolids and surface waters in Australia, as well as its fate in Australian soils and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), including the effects on microbial processes in soils. The concentrations of TCS in 19 effluents ranged from 23 to 434 ng/L (median 108 ng/L) and in 17 biosolids from 0.09 to 16.79 mg/kg on dry weight basis (median 2.32 mg/kg). TCS at concentrations of up to 75 ng/L were detected in receiving waters from five creeks affected by effluent discharge from WWTPs. The removal rate of TCS in five selected WWTPs ranged from 72 and 93%, ascribed mainly to sorption onto sludge and biological degradation. Biodegradation in a clay loam soil was noted with a half life of 18 days. However the half-lives under field conditions are expected to be very different. The studies on the effect of TCS on soil microbiological processes showed that triclosan can disrupt the nitrogen cyclein sensitive soils at concentrations ≥5 mg/kg. In view of the recent risk assessment by the Australian regulatory agency NICNAS, there is an urgent need to assess exposure to TCS and its effect on ecosystem health.

Glider and remote sensing observations of the upper ocean response to an extended shallow coastal diversion of wastewater effluent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seegers, Bridget N.; Teel, Elizabeth N.; Kudela, Raphael M.; Caron, David A.; Jones, Burton H.

2017-02-01

The Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD) diverted wastewater discharge (5.3 × 108 l d-1) from its primary deep (56 m) outfall 8 km offshore, to a secondary shallower (16 m) outfall 1.6 km offshore for a period of three weeks. It was anticipated that the low salinity and density of the effluent would cause it to rise to the surface with limited dilution, elevating nutrient concentrations in near-surface waters and stimulating phytoplankton blooms in the region. Three Teledyne Webb Slocum gliders and a Liquid Robotics surface wave glider were deployed on transects near the outfalls to acquire high spatial and temporal coverage of physical and chemical parameters before, during, and after the wastewater diversion. Combined autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) and MODIS-Aqua satellite ocean color data indicated that phytoplankton biomass increased in the upper water column in response to the diversion, but that the magnitude of the response was spatially patchy and significantly less than expected. Little evidence of the plume or its effects was detectable 72 h following the diversion. The effluent plume exhibited high rates of dilution and mixed throughout the upper 20 m and occasionally throughout the upper 40 m during the diversion. Rapid plume advection and dilution appeared to contribute to the muted impact of the nutrient-rich effluent on the phytoplankton community in this coastal ecosystem.

Assessment of heavy metal tolerance in native plant species from soils contaminated with electroplating effluent.

PubMed

Sainger, Poonam Ahlawat; Dhankhar, Rajesh; Sainger, Manish; Kaushik, Anubha; Singh, Rana Pratap

2011-11-01

Heavy metals concentrations of (Cr, Zn, Fe, Cu and Ni) were determined in plants and soils contaminated with electroplating industrial effluent. The ranges of total soil Cr, Zn, Fe, Cu and Ni concentrations were found to be 1443-3240, 1376-3112, 683-2228, 263-374 and 234-335 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. Metal accumulation, along with hyperaccumulative characteristics of the screened plants was investigated. Present study highlighted that metal accumulation in different plants varied with species, tissues and metals. Only one plant (Amaranthus viridis) accumulated Fe concentrations over 1000 mg kg⁻¹. On the basis of TF, eight plant species for Zn and Fe, three plant species for Cu and two plant species for Ni, could be used in phytoextraction technology. Although BAF of all plant species was lesser than one, these species exhibited high metal adaptability and could be considered as potential hyperaccumulators. Phytoremediation potential of these plants can be used to remediate metal contaminated soils, though further investigation is still needed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of nitrogen and phosphorus concentration on their removal kinetic in treated urban wastewater by Chlorella vulgaris.

PubMed

Ruiz, J; Alvarez, P; Arbib, Z; Garrido, C; Barragán, J; Perales, J A

2011-10-01

This study evaluates the feasibility of removing nutrients by the microalgae Chlorella vulgaris, using urban wastewater as culture medium, namely the effluent subjected to secondary biological treatment in a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). For this, laboratory experiments were performed in batch cultures to study the effect of initial nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations on growth and reduction of nutrient performance of C. vulgaris. The microalga was cultivated in enriched wastewater containing different phosphorus (1.3-143.5 mg x L(-1) P.PO4(3-)), ammonium (5.8-226.8 mg x L(-1) N-NH4+) and nitrate (1.5-198.3 mg x L(-1) N-NO3-) concentrations. The nutrient removal and growth kinetics have been studied: maximum productivity of 0.95 g SS x L(-1) x day(-1), minimum yield factor for cells on substrate (Y) of 11.51 g cells x g nitrogen(-1) and 0.04 g cells x g phosphorus(-1) were observed. The results suggested that C. vulgaris has a high potential to reduce nutrients in secondary WWTP effluents.

Water quality in the Old Plantation Water Control District, Broward County, Florida; progress report, July 1976-June 1977

USGS Publications Warehouse

Russell, Gary M.; Hanson, Chris E.; Pitt, William A.J.

1978-01-01

Water quality in the Old Plantation Water Control District in Broward County, Florida has been affected by effluent from sewage-treatment plants, agriculture, and storm-water runoff. Effect of effluent from sewage-treatment plants on water quality was evident at 3 sites where concentrations of nutrients and bacteria in the Broward County canals exceeded State standards of 2,400 colonies per 100 milliliters for total coliform bacteria. At 2 of the 3 sites the fecal coliform/fecal streptococcus ratios indicated possible human contamination. The effect of agriculture on water quality was evident where relatively high levels of chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides had concentrated in the bottom sediments, of the canals. For example, DDD reached levels of 330 micrograms per kilogram at one site. The effects of storm-water runoff on water quality were detected during the wet season when concentrations of several trace elements increased. For example, zinc averaged 30 micrograms per milliliter in the wet season compared with 20 micrograms per milliliter during the dry season. (Woodard-USGS)

Grey-box modelling of aeration tank settling.

PubMed

Bechman, Henrik; Nielsen, Marinus K; Poulsen, Niels Kjølstad; Madsen, Henrik

2002-04-01

A model of the concentrations of suspended solids (SS) in the aeration tanks and in the effluent from these during Aeration tank settling (ATS) operation is established. The model is based on simple SS mass balances, a model of the sludge settling and a simple model of how the SS concentration in the effluent from the aeration tanks depends on the actual concentrations in the tanks and the sludge blanket depth. The model is formulated in continuous time by means of stochastic differential equations with discrete-time observations. The parameters of the model are estimated using a maximum likelihood method from data from an alternating BioDenipho waste water treatment plant (WWTP). The model is an important tool for analyzing ATS operation and for selecting the appropriate control actions during ATS, as the model can be used to predict the SS amounts in the aeration tanks as well as in the effluent from the aeration tanks.

Effects of septic-tank effluent on ground-water quality in northern Williamson County and southern Davidson County, Tennessee

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hanchar, D.W.

1991-01-01

An investigation of the potential contamination of ground water from septic tank systems blasted in bedrock in Williamson and Davidson Counties, Tennessee, was conducted during 1988-89. Water samples were collected from domestic and observation wells, springs, and surface-water sites in a residential subdivision in the northern part of Williamson County near Nashville. The subdivision has a high density of septic-tank field lines installed into blasted bedrock Water samples also were collected from a well located in an area of Davidson County where field lines were installed in 5 feet of soil. Samples were analyzed for major inorganic constituents, nutrients, total organic carbon, optical brighteners, and bacteria. Although results of analyses of water samples from wells indicate no effect of septic-tank effluent on ground-water quality at these sites, water from two springs located downgradient from the subdivision had slightly larger concentrations of nitrite plus nitrate (2.2 and 2.7 milligrams per liter N), and much larger concentrations of fecal coliform and fecal streptococci bacteria (2,000 to 3,200 and 700 to 900 colonies per 100 milliliters of sample, respectively), than other wells and springs sampled during 1988. Water from one of these springs contained optical brighteners, which indicates that septic-tank effluent is affecting ground-water quality.

Study of a combined heterotrophic and sulfur autotrophic denitrification technology for removal of nitrate in water.

PubMed

Liu, Huijuan; Jiang, Wei; Wan, Dongjin; Qu, Jiuhui

2009-09-30

A combined two-step process of heterotrophic denitrification in a fluidized reactor and sulfur autotrophic denitrification processes (CHSAD) was developed for the removal of nitrate in drinking water. In this process, the advantage of high efficiency of heterotrophic denitrification with non-excessive methanol and the advantage of non-pollution of sulfur autotriphic denitrification were integrated in this CHSAD process. And, this CHSAD process had the capacity of pH balance and could control the concentration of SO(4)(2-) in effluent by adjusting the operation condition. When the influent nitrate was 30 mg NO(3)(-)-N/L, the reactor could be operated efficiently at the hydraulic retention time (HRT) ranging from 20 to 40 min with C:N ratio (mg CH(3)OH:mg NO(3)(-)-N) of 2.0 (methanol as carbon source). The nitrate removal was nearly 100% and there was no accumulated nitrite or residual methanol in the effluent. The effluent pH was about 7.5 and the sulfate concentration was lower than 130 mg/L. The maximum volume-loading rate of the reactor was 2.16 kg NO(3)(-)-N/(m(3)d). The biomass and scanning electron microscopy graphs of biofilm were also analyzed.

Impact of wastewater infrastructure upgrades on the urban water cycle: Reduction in halogenated reaction byproducts following conversion from chlorine gas to ultraviolet light disinfection

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barber, Larry B.; Hladik, Michelle; Vajda, Alan M.; Fitzgerald, Kevin C.; Douville, Chris

2015-01-01

The municipal wastewater treatment facility (WWTF) infrastructure of the United States is being upgraded to expand capacity and improve treatment, which provides opportunities to assess the impact of full-scale operational changes on water quality. Many WWTFs disinfect their effluent prior to discharge using chlorine gas, which reacts with natural and synthetic organic matter to form halogenated disinfection byproducts (HDBPs). Because HDBPs are ubiquitous in chlorine-disinfected drinking water and have adverse human health implications, their concentrations are regulated in potable water supplies. Less is known about the formation and occurrence of HDBPs in disinfected WWTF effluents that are discharged to surface waters and become part of the de facto wastewater reuse cycle. This study investigated HDBPs in the urban water cycle from the stream source of the chlorinated municipal tap water that comprises the WWTF inflow, to the final WWTF effluent disinfection process before discharge back to the stream. The impact of conversion from chlorine-gas to low-pressure ultraviolet light (UV) disinfection at a full-scale (68,000 m3 d−1 design flow) WWTF on HDBP concentrations in the final effluent was assessed, as was transport and attenuation in the receiving stream. Nutrients and trace elements (boron, copper, and uranium) were used to characterize the different urban source waters, and indicated that the pre-upgrade and post-upgrade water chemistry was similar and insensitive to the disinfection process. Chlorinated tap water during the pre-upgrade and post-upgrade samplings contained 11 (mean total concentration = 2.7 μg L−1; n=5) and 10 HDBPs (mean total concentration = 4.5 μg L−1), respectively. Under chlorine-gas disinfection conditions 13 HDBPs (mean total concentration = 1.4 μg L−1) were detected in the WWTF effluent, whereas under UV disinfection conditions, only one HDBP was detected. The chlorinated WWTF effluent had greater relative proportions of nitrogenous, brominated, and iodinated HDBPs than the chlorinated tap water. Conversion of the WWTF to UV disinfection reduced the loading of HDBPs to the receiving stream by >90%.

Impact of wastewater infrastructure upgrades on the urban water cycle: Reduction in halogenated reaction byproducts following conversion from chlorine gas to ultraviolet light disinfection.

PubMed

Barber, Larry B; Hladik, Michelle L; Vajda, Alan M; Fitzgerald, Kevin C; Douville, Chris

2015-10-01

The municipal wastewater treatment facility (WWTF) infrastructure of the United States is being upgraded to expand capacity and improve treatment, which provides opportunities to assess the impact of full-scale operational changes on water quality. Many WWTFs disinfect their effluent prior to discharge using chlorine gas, which reacts with natural and synthetic organic matter to form halogenated disinfection byproducts (HDBPs). Because HDBPs are ubiquitous in chlorine-disinfected drinking water and have adverse human health implications, their concentrations are regulated in potable water supplies. Less is known about the formation and occurrence of HDBPs in disinfected WWTF effluents that are discharged to surface waters and become part of the de facto wastewater reuse cycle. This study investigated HDBPs in the urban water cycle from the stream source of the chlorinated municipal tap water that comprises the WWTF inflow, to the final WWTF effluent disinfection process before discharge back to the stream. The impact of conversion from chlorine-gas to low-pressure ultraviolet light (UV) disinfection at a full-scale (68,000 m(3) d(-1) design flow) WWTF on HDBP concentrations in the final effluent was assessed, as was transport and attenuation in the receiving stream. Nutrients and trace elements (boron, copper, and uranium) were used to characterize the different urban source waters, and indicated that the pre-upgrade and post-upgrade water chemistry was similar and insensitive to the disinfection process. Chlorinated tap water during the pre-upgrade and post-upgrade samplings contained 11 (mean total concentration=2.7 μg L(-1); n=5) and 10 HDBPs (mean total concentration=4.5 μg L(-1)), respectively. Under chlorine-gas disinfection conditions 13 HDBPs (mean total concentration=1.4 μg L(-1)) were detected in the WWTF effluent, whereas under UV disinfection conditions, only one HDBP was detected. The chlorinated WWTF effluent had greater relative proportions of nitrogenous, brominated, and iodinated HDBPs than the chlorinated tap water. Conversion of the WWTF to UV disinfection reduced the loading of HDBPs to the receiving stream by >90%. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Required ozone doses for removing pharmaceuticals from wastewater effluents.

PubMed

Antoniou, Maria G; Hey, Gerly; Rodríguez Vega, Sergio; Spiliotopoulou, Aikaterini; Fick, Jerker; Tysklind, Mats; la Cour Jansen, Jes; Andersen, Henrik Rasmus

2013-07-01

The aim of the this study was to investigate the ozone dosage required to remove active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) from biologically treated wastewater of varying quality, originated from different raw wastewater and wastewater treatment processes. Secondary effluents from six Swedish wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) were spiked with 42 APIs (nominal concentration μg/L) and treated with different O₃ doses (0.5-12.0 mg/L ozone) in bench-scale experiments. In order to compare the sensitivity of APIs in each matrix, the specific dose of ozone required to achieve reduction by one decade of each investigated API (DDO₃) was determined for each effluent by fitting a first order equation to the remaining concentration of API at each applied ozone dose. Ozone dose requirements were found to vary significantly between effluents depending on their matrix characteristics. The specific ozone dose was then normalized to the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) of each effluent. The DDO₃/DOC ratios were comparable for each API between the effluents. 15 of the 42 investigated APIs could be classified as easily degradable (DDO₃/DOC ≤ 0.7), while 19 were moderately degradable (0.7 < DDO₃/DOC ≤ 1.4), and 8 were recalcitrant towards O₃-treatment (DDO₃/DOC >1.4). Furthermore, we predict that a reasonable estimate of the ozone dose required to remove any of the investigated APIs may be attained by multiplying the experimental average DDO₃/DOC obtained with the actual DOC of any effluent. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pharmaceuticals and other organic chemicals in selected north-central and northwestern Arkansas streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Haggard, B.E.; Galloway, J.M.; Green, W.R.; Meyer, M.T.

2006-01-01

Recently, our attention has focused on the low level detection of many antibiotics, pharmaceuticals, and other organic chemicals in water resources. The limited studies available suggest that urban or rural streams receiving wastewater effluent are more susceptible to contamination. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of antibiotics, pharmaceuticals, and other organic chemicals at 18 sites on seven selected streams in Arkansas, USA, during March, April, and August 2004. Water samples were collected upstream and downstream from the influence of effluent discharges in northwestern Arkansas and at one site on a relatively undeveloped stream in north-central Arkansas. At least one antibiotic, pharmaceutical, or other organic chemical was detected at all sites, except at Spavinaw Creek near Mayesville, Arkansas. The greatest number of detections was observed at Mud Creek downstream from an effluent discharge, including 31 pharmaceuticals and other organic chemicals. The detection of these chemicals occurred in higher frequency at sites downstream from effluent discharges compared to those sites upstream from effluent discharges; total chemical concentration was also greater downstream. Wastewater effluent discharge increased the concentrations of detergent metabolites, fire retardants, fragrances and flavors, and steroids in these streams. Antibiotics and associated degradation products were only found at two streams downstream from effluent discharges. Overall, 42 of the 108 chemicals targeted in this study were found in water samples from at least one site, and the most frequently detected organic chemicals included caffeine, phenol, para-cresol, and acetyl hexamethyl tetrahydro naphthalene (AHTN). ?? ASA, CSSA, SSSA.

Nutrient Loadings to Streams of the Continental United States from Municipal and Industrial Effluent

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maupin, M.A.; Ivahnenko, T.

2011-01-01

Data from the United States Environmental Protection Agency Permit Compliance System national database were used to calculate annual total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) loads to surface waters from municipal and industrial facilities in six major regions of the United States for 1992, 1997, and 2002. Concentration and effluent flow data were examined for approximately 118,250 facilities in 45 states and the District of Columbia. Inconsistent and incomplete discharge locations, effluent flows, and effluent nutrient concentrations limited the use of these data for calculating nutrient loads. More concentrations were reported for major facilities, those discharging more than 1million gallons per day, than for minor facilities, and more concentrations were reported for TP than for TN. Analytical methods to check and improve the quality of the Permit Compliance System data were used. Annual loads were calculated using "typical pollutant concentrations" to supplement missing concentrations based on the type and size of facilities. Annual nutrient loads for over 26,600 facilities were calculated for at least one of the three years. Sewage systems represented 74% of all TN loads and 58% of all TP loads. This work represents an initial set of data to develop a comprehensive and consistent national database of point-source nutrient loads. These loads can be used to inform a wide range of water-quality management, watershed modeling, and research efforts at multiple scales. ?? 2011 American Water Resources Association. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Environmental monitoring of bleached kraft pulp mill chlorophenolic compounds in a northern Canadian river system.

PubMed

Owens, J W; Swanson, S M; Birkholz, D A

1994-07-01

The environmental transport of pulp mill effluent compounds and the exposure of two fish species has been monitored by parallel analyses of effluent, water column and suspended sediment samples, and fish bile and muscle. Compounds analyzed included over 20 chlorophenolic compounds and 12 fatty and resin acids. The concentration of chlorophenols varied with seasonal river flows and mill process changes such as the substitution of chlorine dioxide (ClO2) for chlorine gas (Cl2) in the bleach plant. At 100% (ClO2) substitution, the effluent and the water column concentrations of most chlorophenolics approached the analytical detection limits of 0.1-1 parts per billion. Chlorophenolic and fatty/resin acid compounds were detected in the bile of both mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) and longnose sucker (Catostomus catostomus), but were rarely detected in fillets. Fish bile concentrations were observed in an apparent spatial gradient as far as 230 km downstream of the mill. A depuration experiment with fish held in uncontaminated water for eight days indicated a rapid decrease in chlorophenol levels. These observations corroborate previous investigations that chlorophenolic compounds are rapidly excreted and can be used as sensitive markers for recent exposure to mill effluents.

Characterization of Effluents Given Off by Wiring Insulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yost, William T.; Cramer, K. Elliott; Perey, Daniel F.

2003-01-01

When an insulated wire is heated, the insulation emits a variety of effluents. This paper discusses the basis of emissions of effluents from wiring insulation. Several species are emitted at relatively low temperatures, while others are emitted when the wire reaches higher temperatures. We isolate the emissions by relative molecular weight of the effluents and measure the effluent concentration both as a function of time (temperature held constant) and by wire temperature. We find that the Law of Mass Action describes and predicts the time-dependence of the emission of a specific effluent caused by the heating. The binding energy is determined by performing an Arrhenius Plot on the temperature data. These dependencies are discussed and working equations are derived. Data collected from 20 gauge wire (MIL-W-22759/11-20) is used to illustrate and confirm the validity of the theory.

Risk assessment of Giardia from a full scale MBR sewage treatment plant caused by membrane integrity failure.

PubMed

Zhang, Yu; Chen, Zhimin; An, Wei; Xiao, Shumin; Yuan, Hongying; Zhang, Dongqing; Yang, Min

2015-04-01

Membrane bioreactors (MBR) are highly efficient at intercepting particles and microbes and have become an important technology for wastewater reclamation. However, many pathogens can accumulate in activated sludge due to the long residence time usually adopted in MBR, and thus may pose health risks when membrane integrity problems occur. This study presents data from a survey on the occurrence of water-borne Giardia pathogens in reclaimed water from a full-scale wastewater treatment plant with MBR experiencing membrane integrity failure, and assessed the associated risk for green space irrigation. Due to membrane integrity failure, the MBR effluent turbidity varied between 0.23 and 1.90 NTU over a period of eight months. Though this turbidity level still met reclaimed water quality standards (≤5 NTU), Giardia were detected at concentrations of 0.3 to 95 cysts/10 L, with a close correlation between effluent turbidity and Giardia concentration. All β-giardin gene sequences of Giardia in the WWTP influents were genotyped as Assemblages A and B, both of which are known to infect humans. An exponential dose-response model was applied to assess the risk of infection by Giardia. The risk in the MBR effluent with chlorination was 9.83×10(-3), higher than the acceptable annual risk of 1.0×10(-4). This study suggested that membrane integrity is very important for keeping a low pathogen level, and multiple barriers are needed to ensure the biological safety of MBR effluent. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Evaluation of the toxic potential of coffee wastewater on seeds, roots and meristematic cells of Lactuca sativa L.

PubMed

Aguiar, Luara Louzada; Andrade-Vieira, Larissa Fonseca; de Oliveira David, José Augusto

2016-11-01

Coffee wastewater (CWW) is an effluent produced through wet processing of coffee containing high concentration of organic matter, nutrients, salts and also agrochemicals. It is released directly into the argillaceous soil or into decantation tanks for later disposal into soils, by fertigation, subsurface infiltration or superficial draining. However, this practice is not followed by the monitoring the toxicity potential of this effluent. In this sense, the present work aimed to evaluate the phytotoxic, cytogenotoxic and mutagenic potential of CWW on seed germination, root elongation and cell cycle alterations in the plant model Lactuca sativa L. The effluent (CWW) collected was diluted in distilled water into six concentrations solutions (1.25%, 1.66%, 2.5%, 5.0%, 10%, 20%). A solution of raw CWW (100%) was also applied. Distilled water was used as negative control), and the DNA alkylating agent, metilmetano sulfonate (4×10(-4)M) as positive control. Physico-chemical parameters of the CWW was accessed and it was found that the effluent contained total phenols and inorganic matter in amounts within the limits established by the National Environment Council (CONAMA). Nevertheless, the biologicals assays performed demonstrated the phytotoxicity and cytogenotoxicty of CWW. Seed germination was totally inhibited after exposure of raw CWW. In addition, a decrease in seed germination speed as well as in root growth dose-dependently manner was noticed. Moreover, nuclear and chromosomal alterations were observed in the cell cycle, mostly arising from aneugenic action. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 417.43 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... TSS 0.20 .10 Oil and grease 0.08 .04 pH (1) (1) English units (pounds per 1,000 lb of anhydrous product) BOD5 0.80 0.40 COD 2.40 1.20 TSS 0.20 .10 Oil and grease 0.08 .04 pH (1) (1) 1 Within the range 6... Glycerine Concentration Subcategory § 417.43 Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of...

Paper plant effluent revisited-southern Lake Champlain, Vermont and New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Haupt, R.S.; Folger, D.W.

1993-01-01

We used geologic and geochemical techniques to document the change with time of the distribution and concentration of contaminated bottom sediments in southern Lake Champlain near an International Paper Company plant. Our work, initiated in 1972, was expanded on behalf of Vermont citizens in a class-action suit against the International Paper Company. To update our 1972-1973 results, we collected nine cores in 1988 upstream and downstream from the paper plant effluent diffuser. Water content, volatile solids, organic carbon, and three ratios, Al/Si, Cl/Si, and S/Si, in addition to megascopic and microscopic observations, were evaluated to identify and trace the distribution of effluent and to measure the thickness of sediment affected by or containing components of effluent. Analyses were carried out on samples from the cores as well as from effluent collected directly from the plant's waste treatment facility. In 1973, two years after the plant opened, we cored near the diffuser; sediment contaminated with effluent was 4.5 cm thick. In 1988, in the same area, sediment contaminated with effluent was 17 cm thick. In 15 years, water content increased from 72 to 85 percent, volatile solids from 7 to 20 percent, and organic carbon from 2 to 12 percent. Cl/Si and S/Si were high only near the diffuser and were zero elsewhere. In the area of the diffuser, contaminated sediment appears to be accumulating at a rate of about 1 cm/yr. At a control location 22 km upstream (south) from the plant, the top, poorly consoli-dated layer was only 1 cm or less thick both in 1973 and in 1988. The class-action suit was settled in favor of the plaintiffs for $5 million. ?? 1993 Springer-Verlag.

DPASV analytical technique for ppb level uranium analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pal, Sangita; Singha, Mousumi; Meena, Sher Singh

2018-04-01

Determining uranium in ppb level is considered to be most crucial for reuse of water originated in nuclear industries at the time of decontamination of plant effluents generated during uranium (fuel) production, fuel rod fabrication, application in nuclear reactors and comparatively small amount of effluents obtained during laboratory research and developmental work. Higher level of uranium in percentage level can be analyzed through gravimetry, titration etc, whereas inductively coupled plasma-atomic energy spectroscopy (ICP-AES), fluorimeter are well suited for ppm level. For ppb level of uranium, inductively coupled plasma - mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) or Differential Pulse Anodic Stripping Voltammetry (DPASV) serve the purpose. High precision, accuracy and sensitivity are the crucial for uranium analysis in trace (ppb) level, which are satisfied by ICP-MS and stripping voltammeter. Voltammeter has been found to be less expensive, requires low maintenance and is convenient for measuring uranium in presence of large number of other ions in the waste effluent. In this paper, necessity of uranium concentration quantification for recovery as well as safe disposal of plant effluent, working mechanism of voltammeter w.r.t. uranium analysis in ppb level with its standard deviation and a data comparison with ICP-MS has been represented.

Full scale implementation of the nutrient limited BAS process at Södra Cell Värö.

PubMed

Malmqvist, A; Berggren, B; Sjölin, C; Welander, T; Heuts, L; Fransén, A; Ling, D

2004-01-01

A combination of the suspended carrier biofilm process and the activated sludge process (biofilm-activated sludge--BAS) has been shown to be very successful for the treatment of different types of pulp and paper mill effluents. The robust biofilm pre-treatment in combination with activated sludge results in a stable, compact and highly efficient process. Recent findings have shown that nutrient limited operation of the biofilm process greatly improves the sludge characteristics in the following activated sludge stage, while minimising sludge production and effluent discharge of nutrients. The nutrient limited BAS process was implemented at full scale at the Södra Cell Värö kraft mill and taken into operation in July 2002. After start-up and optimisation over about 5 months, the process meets all effluent discharge limits. The removal of COD is close to 70% and the removal of EDTA greater than 90%. Typical effluent concentrations of suspended solids and nutrients during stable operations have been 20-30 mg/L TSS, 0.3-0.5 mg/L phosphorus and 3-5 mg/L nitrogen. The sludge production was 0.09 kgSS/kg COD removed and the sludge volume index was 50-100 mL/g.

Development of an analytical method for the determination of anthracyclines in hospital effluents.

PubMed

Mahnik, Susanne N; Rizovski, Blanka; Fuerhacker, Maria; Mader, Robert M

2006-11-01

Little is known about the fate of cytostatics after their elimination from humans into the environment. Being often very toxic compounds, their quantification in hospital effluents may be necessary to individualise the putative magnitude of pollution problems. We therefore developed a method for the determination of the very important group of anthracyclines (doxorubicin, epirubicin, and daunorubicin) in hospital effluents. Waste water samples were enriched by solid phase extraction (concentration factor 100), analysed by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), and monitored by fluorescence detection. This method is reproducible and accurate within a range of 0.1-5 micro g l(-1) for all compounds (limits of quantification: 0.26-0.29 micro g l(-1) ; recoveries >80%). The applicability of the method was proven by chemical analysis of hospital sewage samples (range: 0.1-1.4 micro g l(-1) epirubicin and 0.1-0.5 micro g l(-1) doxorubicin). Obtained over a time period of one month, the results were in line with those calculated by an input-output model. These investigations show that the examined cytostatics are easily detectable and that the presented method is suitable to estimate the dimension of pharmaceutical contamination originating from hospital effluents.

Ciprofloxacin residue and antibiotic-resistant biofilm bacteria in hospital effluent.

PubMed

Ory, Jérôme; Bricheux, Geneviève; Togola, Anne; Bonnet, Jean Louis; Donnadieu-Bernard, Florence; Nakusi, Laurence; Forestier, Christiane; Traore, Ousmane

2016-07-01

Discharge of antimicrobial residues and resistant bacteria in hospital effluents is supposed to have strong impacts on the spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria in the environment. This study aimed to characterize the effluents of the Gabriel Montpied teaching hospital, Clermont-Ferrand, France, by simultaneously measuring the concentration of ciprofloxacin and of biological indicators resistant to this molecule in biofilms formed in the hospital effluent and by comparing these data to ciprofloxacin consumption and resistant bacterial isolates of the hospital. Determination of the measured environmental concentration of ciprofloxacin by spot sampling and polar organic chemical integrative (POCIS) sampling over 2 weeks, and comparison with predicted environmental concentrations produced a hazard quotient >1, indicating a potential ecotoxicological risk. A negative impact was also observed with whole hospital effluent samples using the Tetrahymena pyriformis biological model. During the same period, biofilms were formed within the hospital effluent, and analysis of ciprofloxacin-resistant isolates indicated that Gamma-Proteobacteria were numerous, predominantly Aeromonadaceae (69.56%) and Enterobacteriaceae (22.61%). Among the 115 isolates collected, plasmid-mediated fluoroquinolone-resistant genes were detected, with mostly aac(6')-lb-cr and qnrS. In addition, 60% of the isolates were resistant to up to six antibiotics, including molecules mostly used in the hospital (aminosides and third-generation cephalosporins). In parallel, 1247 bacteria isolated from hospitalized patients and resistant to at least one of the fluoroquinolones were collected. Only 5 of the 14 species identified in the effluent biofilm were also found in the clinical isolates, but PFGE typing of the Gram-negative isolates found in both compartments showed there was no clonality among the strains. Altogether, these data confirm the role of hospital loads as sources of pollution for wastewater and question the role of environmental biofilms communities as efficient shelters for hospital-released resistance genes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Endocrine disrupting alkylphenolic chemicals and other contaminants in wastewater treatment plant effluents, urban streams, and fish in the Great Lakes and Upper Mississippi River Regions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barber, Larry B.; Loyo-Rosales, Jorge E.; Rice, Clifford P.; Minarik, Thomas A.; Oskouie, Ali K.

2015-01-01

Urban streams are an integral part of the municipal water cycle and provide a point of discharge for wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents, allowing additional attenuation through dilution and transformation processes, as well as a conduit for transporting contaminants to downstream water supplies. Domestic and commercial activities dispose of wastes down-the-drain, resulting in wastewater containing complex chemical mixtures that are only partially removed during treatment. A key issue associated with WWTP effluent discharge into streams is the potential to cause endocrine disruption in fish. This study provides a long-term (1999-2009) evaluation of the occurrence of alkylphenolic endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and other contaminants discharged from WWTPs into streams in the Great Lakes and Upper Mississippi River Regions (Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, and Ohio). The Greater Metropolitan Chicago Area Waterways, Illinois, were evaluated to determine contaminant concentrations in the major WWTP effluents and receiving streams, and assess the behavior of EDCs from their sources within the sewer collection system, through the major treatment unit processes at a WWTP, to their persistence and transport in the receiving stream. Water samples were analyzed for alkylphenolic EDCs and other contaminants, including 4-nonylphenol (NP), 4-nonylphenolpolyethoxylates (NPEO), 4-nonylphenolethoxycarboxylic acids (NPEC), 4-tert-octylphenol (OP), 4-tert-octylphenolpolyethoxylates (OPEO), bisphenol A, triclosan, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), and trace elements. All of the compounds were detected in all of the WWTP effluents, with EDTA and NPEC having the greatest concentrations. The compounds also were detected in the WWTP effluent dominated rivers. Multiple fish species were collected from river and lake sites and analyzed for NP, NPEO, NPEC, OP, and OPEO. Whole-body fish tissue analysis indicated widespread occurrence of alkylphenolic compounds, with the highest concentrations occurring in streams with the greatest WWTP effluent content. Biomarkers of endocrine disruption in the fish indicated long-term exposure to estrogenic chemicals in the wastewater impacted urban waterways.

Effects of duckweed (Spriodela polyrrhiza) remediation on the composition of dissolved organic matter in effluent of scale pig farms.

PubMed

Li, Lei; Liu, Ming; Wu, Meng; Jiang, Chunyu; Chen, Xiaofen; Ma, Xiaoyan; Liu, Jia; Li, Weitao; Tang, Xiaoxue; Li, Zhongpei

2017-05-01

The swine effluent studied was collected from scale pig farms, located in Yujiang County of Jiangxi Province, China, and duckweed (Spriodela polyrrhiza) was selected to dispose the effluent. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the effects of duckweed growth on the dissolved organic matter composition in swine effluent. Throughout the experiment period, the concentrations of organic matter were determined regularly, and the excitation-emission matrix (3DEEM) spectroscopy was used to characterize the fluorescence component. Compared with no-duckweed treatments (controls), the specific ultra-violet absorbance at 254nm (SUVA 254 ) was increased by a final average of 34.4% as the phytoremediation using duckweed, and the removal rate of DOC was increased by a final average of 28.0%. In swine effluent, four fluorescence components were identified, including two protein-like (tryptophan, tyrosine) and two humic-like (fulvic acids, humic acids) components. For all treatments, the concentrations of protein-like components decreased by a final average of 69.0%. As the growth of duckweed, the concentrations of humic-like components were increased by a final average of 123.5% than controls. Significant and positive correlations were observed between SUVA 254 and humic-like components. Compared with the controls, the humification index (HIX) increased by a final average of 9.0% for duckweed treatments. Meanwhile, the duckweed growth leaded to a lower biological index (BIX) and a higher proportion of microbial-derived fulvic acids than controls. In conclusion, the duckweed remediation not only enhanced the removal rate of organic matter in swine effluent, but also increased the percent of humic substances. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Towards the development of a novel construction solid waste (CSW) based constructed wetland system for tertiary treatment of secondary sewage effluents.

PubMed

Yang, Y; Zhang, L; Zhao, Y Q; Wang, S P; Guo, X C; Guo, Y; Wang, L; Ren, Y X; Wang, X C

2011-01-01

This study was conducted to examine the possibility of using construction solid waste (CSW), an inevitable by-product of the construction and demolition process, as the main substrate in a laboratory scale multi-stage constructed wetland system (CWs) to improve phosphorus (P) removal from secondary sewage effluent. A tidal-flow operation strategy was employed to enhance the wetland aeration. This will stimulate aerobic biological processes and benefit the organic pollutants decomposition and nitrification process for ammoniacal-nitrogen (NH(+)(4)-N) removal. The results showed that the average P concentration in the secondary sewage effluent was reduced from 1.90 mg-P/L to 0.04 mg-P/L. CSW presents excellent P removal performance. The average NH(+)(4)-N concentration was reduced from 9.94 mg-N/L to 1.0 mg-N/L through nitrification in the system. The concentration of resultant nitrite and nitrate in the effluent of the CSW based CWs ranged from 0.1 to 2.4 mg-N/L and 0.01 to 0.8 mg-N/L, respectively. The outcome of this study has shown that CSW can be successfully used to act as main substrate in CWs. The application of CSW based CWs on improving N and P removals from secondary sewage effluent presents a win-win scenario. Such the reuse of CSW will benefit both the CSW disposal and nutrient control from wastewater. More significantly, such the application can transfer the CSW from a 'waste' to 'useful' material and can ease the pressure of construction waste solid management. Meanwhile, the final effluent from the CSW-based CWs can be used as non-potable water source in landscape irrigation, agriculture and industrial process.

Mixing zones studies of the waste water discharge from the Consolidated Paper Company into the Wisconsin River at Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoopes, J. A.; Wu, D. S.; Ganatra, R.

1973-01-01

Effluent concentration distributions from the waste water discharge of the Kraft Division Mill, Consolidated Paper Company, into the Wisconsin River at Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, is investigated. Effluent concentrations were determined from measurements of the temperature distribution, using temperature as a tracer. Measurements of the velocity distribution in the vicinity of the outfall were also made. Due to limitations in the extent of the field observations, the analysis and comparison of the measurements is limited to the region within about 300 feet from the outfall. Effects of outfall submergence, of buoyancy and momentum of the effluent and of the pattern and magnitude of river currents on these characteristics are considered.

Personal care products and steroid hormones in the Antarctic coastal environment associated with two Antarctic research stations, McMurdo Station and Scott Base.

PubMed

Emnet, Philipp; Gaw, Sally; Northcott, Grant; Storey, Bryan; Graham, Lisa

2015-01-01

Pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) are a major source of micropollutants to the aquatic environment. Despite intense research on the fate and effects of PPCPs in temperate climates, there is a paucity of data on their presence in polar environments. This study reports the presence of selected PPCPs in sewage effluents from two Antarctic research stations, the adjacent coastal seawater, sea ice, and biota. Sewage effluents contained bisphenol-A, ethinylestradiol, estrone, methyl triclosan, octylphenol, triclosan, and three UV-filters. The maximum sewage effluent concentrations of 4-methyl-benzylidene camphor, benzophenone-1, estrone, ethinylestradiol, and octylphenol exceeded concentrations previously reported. Coastal seawaters contained bisphenol-A, octylphenol, triclosan, three paraben preservatives, and four UV-filters. The sea ice contained a similar range and concentration of PPCPs as the seawater. Benzophenone-3 (preferential accumulation in clams), estradiol, ethinylestradiol, methyl paraben (preferential accumulation in fish, with concentrations correlating negatively with fillet size), octylphenol, and propyl paraben were detected in biota samples. PPCPs were detected in seawater and biota at distances up to 25 km from the research stations WWTP discharges. Sewage effluent discharges and disposal of raw human waste through sea ice cracks have been identified as sources of PPCPs to Antarctic coastal environments. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sono assisted electrocoagulation process for the removal of pollutant from pulp and paper industry effluent.

PubMed

Asaithambi, P; Aziz, Abdul Raman Abdul; Sajjadi, Baharak; Daud, Wan Mohd Ashri Bin Wan

2017-02-01

In the present work, the efficiency of the sonication, electrocoagulation, and sono-electrocoagulation process for removal of pollutants from the industrial effluent of the pulp and paper industry was compared. The experimental results showed that the sono-electrocoagulation process yielded higher pollutant removal percentage compared to the sonication and electrocoagulation process alone. The effect of the operating parameters in the sono-electrocoagulation process such as electrolyte concentration (1-5 g/L), current density (1-5 A/dm 2 ), effluent pH (3-11), COD concentration (1500-6000 mg/L), inter-electrode distance (1-3 cm), and electrode combination (Fe and Al) on the color removal, COD removal, and power consumption were studied. The maximum color and COD removal percentages of 100 and 95 %, respectively, were obtained at the current density of 4 A/dm 2 , electrolyte concentration of 4 g/L, effluent pH of 7, COD concentration of 3000 mg/L, electrode combination of Fe/Fe, inter-electrode distance of 1 cm, and reaction time of 4 h, respectively. The color and COD removal percentages were analyzed by using an UV/Vis spectrophotometer and closed reflux method. The results showed that the sono-electrocoagulation process could be used as an efficient and environmental friendly technique for complete pollutant removal.

Assessment of the impact of the next generation solvent on DWPF melter off-gas flammability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Daniel, W. E.

2013-02-13

An assessment has been made to evaluate the impact on the DWPF melter off-gas flammability of replacing the current solvent used in the Modular Caustic-Side Solvent Extraction Process Unit (MCU) process with the Next Generation Solvent (NGS-MCU) and blended solvent. The results of this study showed that the concentrations of nonvolatile carbon and hydrogen of the current solvent in the Slurry Mix Evaporator (SME) product would both be about 29% higher than their counterparts of the NGS-MCU and blended solvent in the absence of guanidine partitioning. When 6 ppm of guanidine (TiDG) was added to the effluent transfer to DWPFmore » to simulate partitioning for the NGS-MCU and blended solvent cases and the concentration of Isopar{reg_sign} L in the effluent transfer was controlled below 87 ppm, the concentrations of nonvolatile carbon and hydrogen of the NGS-MCU and blended solvent were still about 12% and 4% lower, respectively, than those of the current solvent. It is, therefore, concluded that as long as the volume of MCU effluent transfer to DWPF is limited to 15,000 gallons per Sludge Receipt and Adjustment Tank (SRAT)/SME cycle and the concentration of Isopar{reg_sign} L in the effluent transfer is controlled below 87 ppm, using the current solvent assumption of 105 ppm Isopar{reg_sign} L or 150 ppm solvent in lieu of NGS-MCU or blended solvent in the DWPF melter off-gas flammability assessment is conservative for up to an additional 6 ppm of TiDG in the effluent due to guanidine partitioning. This report documents the calculations performed to reach this conclusion.« less

Different depth intermittent sand filters for laboratory treatment of synthetic wastewater with concentrations close to measured septic tank effluent.

PubMed

Rodgers, M; Walsh, G; Healy, M G

2011-01-01

The objective of this study was to apply hydraulic and chemical oxygen demand (COD) loading rates at the upper limits of the design criteria for buried sand filters to test the sand filter depth design criteria. Over a 274-day study duration, synthetic effluent with a strength of domestic wastewater was intermittently dosed onto two sand filters of 0.2 m diameter, with depths of 0.3 and 0.4 m. Hydraulic and organic carbon loading rates of 105 L m(-2) d(-1) and 40 g COD m(-2) d(-1), respectively, were applied to the filters. The filters did not clog and had good effluent removal capabilities for 274 and 190 days, respectively. However, the 0.3 m-deep filter did experience a reduced performance towards the end of the study period. In the 0.3 and 0.4 m-deep filters, the effluent COD and SS concentrations were less than 86 and 31 mg L(-1), respectively, and nitrification was nearly complete in both these columns. Ortho-phosphorus (PO(4)-P) removal in fine sand and laterite 'upflow' filters, receiving effluent from the 0.3 m-deep filter, was 10% and 44%, respectively.

Growth, chemical composition and soil properties of Tipuana speciosa (Benth.) Kuntze seedlings irrigated with sewage effluent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, Hayssam M.; Khamis, Mohamed H.; Hassan, Fatma A.

2012-06-01

This study was carried out at a greenhouse of Sabahia Horticulture Research Station, Alexandria, Egypt, to study the effect of sewage effluent on the growth and chemical composition of Tipuana speciosa (Benth.) Kuntze seedlings as well as on soil properties for three stages. The irrigation treatments were primary-treated wastewater and secondary-treated wastewater, in addition to tap water as control. Therefore, the treated wastewater was taken from oxidation ponds of New Borg El-Arab City. Results of these study revealed that the primary effluent treatment explored the highest significant values for vegetative growth and biomass, compared to the other treatments. In addition, the higher significant concentration and uptake of chemical composition in different plant parts were obtained from the primary effluent treatment during the three stages of irrigation. It was found that the concentration of heavy metals in either plant or soil was below as compared to the world-recommended levels. These findings suggested that the use of sewage effluent in irrigating T. speciosa seedlings grown in calcareous soil was beneficial for the improvement of soil properties and production of timber trees, and also important for the safe manner of disposal of wastewater.

Method for the simultaneous determination of monoaromatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in industrial effluents using dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Makoś, Patrycja; Fernandes, André; Boczkaj, Grzegorz

2018-06-01

We present a new method for simultaneous determination of 22 monoaromatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in postoxidative effluents from the production of petroleum bitumen using dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction coupled to gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The eight extraction parameters including the type and volume of extraction and disperser solvent, pH, salting out effect, extraction, and centrifugation time were optimized. The low detection limit ranging from 0.36 to 28 μg/L, limit of quantitation (1.1-84 μg/L), good reproducibility, and wide linear ranges, as well as the recoveries ranging from 71.74 to 114.67% revealed that the new method allows the determination of aromatic hydrocarbons at low concentration levels in industrial effluents having a very complex composition. The developed method was applied to the determination of content of mono- and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in samples of raw postoxidative effluents in which 15 compounds were identified at concentrations ranging from 1.21 to 1017.0 μg/L as well as in effluents after chemical treatment. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Leachate characteristics as influenced by application of anaerobic baffled reactor effluent to three soils: a soil column study.

PubMed

Bame, I B; Hughes, J C; Titshall, L W; Buckley, C A

2013-11-01

A soil column study was undertaken in the laboratory with three contrasting soil types namely a sandy soil (Longlands (Typic Plinthaquult), E horizon), an organic soil (Inanda (Rhodic Hapludox), A horizon) and a clayey soil (Sepane (Aquic Haplustalf), A horizon). Anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR) effluent was leached through the soil and distilled water was concurrently used as a control. The effluent was slightly basic (pH 7.4-7.6), had heavy metal concentrations below permissible limits for irrigation purposes and contained plant nutrients such as P, S, Ca, Mg, and K. Results indicated that after application of 16 pore volumes, the concentrations of Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) were lower in the leachates than in the original effluent indicating adsorption by the soils and Mg(2+) was preferentially adsorbed to Ca(2+). Phosphorus was strongly adsorbed in all soils. While its adsorption in the Inanda could be attributed to organic matter and the presence of iron oxides and oxyhydroxides, the clay type and amount in the Sepane was likely responsible for P adsorption. The NO3(-)-N, which was initially low in the effluent, increased as leaching progressed while the NH4-N decreased. A chemical balance to ascertain loss or gain of major elements from the effluent application indicated P to be strongly immobilised from the effluent representing 41, 6 and 10 fold the fertilizer needs for maize in the Inanda, Longlands and Sepane, respectively. Results obtained indicated that the chemical composition of ABR effluent is significantly altered when leached through soils with distinct properties. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 412.22 - Effluent limitations attainable by the application of the best practicable control technology...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... CONCENTRATED ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS (CAFO) POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Ducks § 412.22 Effluent limitations... per 1000 ducks. 2 Kilograms per 1000 ducks. 3 Not to exceed MPN of 400 per 100 ml at any time. (b...

40 CFR 412.22 - Effluent limitations attainable by the application of the best practicable control technology...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... CONCENTRATED ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS (CAFO) POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Ducks § 412.22 Effluent limitations... per 1000 ducks. 2 Kilograms per 1000 ducks. 3 Not to exceed MPN of 400 per 100 ml at any time. (b...

40 CFR 412.22 - Effluent limitations attainable by the application of the best practicable control technology...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... CONCENTRATED ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS (CAFO) POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Ducks § 412.22 Effluent limitations... per 1000 ducks. 2 Kilograms per 1000 ducks. 3 Not to exceed MPN of 400 per 100 ml at any time. (b...

40 CFR 412.22 - Effluent limitations attainable by the application of the best practicable control technology...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... CONCENTRATED ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS (CAFO) POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Ducks § 412.22 Effluent limitations... per 1000 ducks. 2 Kilograms per 1000 ducks. 3 Not to exceed MPN of 400 per 100 ml at any time. (b...

40 CFR 412.22 - Effluent limitations attainable by the application of the best practicable control technology...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... CONCENTRATED ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS (CAFO) POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Ducks § 412.22 Effluent limitations... per 1000 ducks. 2 Kilograms per 1000 ducks. 3 Not to exceed MPN of 400 per 100 ml at any time. (b...

Removal of Cd(II) ions from aqueous solution and industrial effluent using reverse osmosis and nanofiltration membranes.

PubMed

Kheriji, Jamel; Tabassi, Dorra; Hamrouni, Béchir

2015-01-01

Industrial effluents loaded with cadmium have contributed to the pollution of the environment and health troubles for humans. Therefore, these effluents need treatment to reduce cadmium concentration before releasing them to public sewage. The purpose of the research is to study the major role of reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) processes, which can contribute to the removal of cadmium ions from model water and wastewater from the battery industry. For this reason, two RO and two nanofiltration membranes have been used. The effects of feed pressure, concentration, ionic strength, nature of anion associated with cadmium and pH on the retention of Cd(II) were studied with model solutions. Thereafter, NF and RO membranes were used to reduce cadmium ions and total salinity of battery industry effluent. Among these membranes, there are only three which eliminate more than 95% of cadmium. This was found to depend on operating conditions. It is worth noting that the Spiegler-Kedem model was applied to fit the experimental results.

Presence of pharmaceuticals in the Lis river (Portugal): Sources, fate and seasonal variation.

PubMed

Paíga, Paula; Santos, Lúcia H M L M; Ramos, Sandra; Jorge, Sandra; Silva, Jaime Gabriel; Delerue-Matos, Cristina

2016-12-15

The occurrence of 33 pharmaceuticals and metabolites was evaluated along the Lis river and in the influents and effluents of two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) located along the river. Results indicate that pharmaceuticals, such as ibuprofen, ketoprofen, carbamazepine and fluoxetine, and the metabolite salicylic acid are widespread along the Lis river, showing 100% of detection frequency, at levels up to 1.3μgL -1 . The number of molecules detected increased along the river, with 11 molecules in the source, 15 upstream WWTP 1, 16 downstream WWTP 1 and upstream WWTP 2 and 19 downstream WWTP 2. The highest concentrations were often found downstream near the river mouth. Different possible sources of contamination of the Lis river were identified, namely WWTP effluents, untreated wastewaters and livestock production. Nevertheless, the discharge of WWTP effluents appeared to be the most pronounced, given that, in general, it was noticed an increase in the concentration of pharmaceuticals downstream of the WWTPs. WWTP effluents contributed with a total mass load of pharmaceuticals into the Lis river between 470 and 2317mg/d/1000 inhabitants. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs/analgesics were the therapeutic group with a high contribution to the total mass load of pharmaceuticals entering the Lis river, followed by psychiatric drugs and antibiotics. No seasonal variation was observed for the detected concentrations of pharmaceuticals. At the levels detected in the Lis river, sulfamethoxazole, clarithromycin, azithromycin and ibuprofen showed to have potential risk for aquatic organisms. These findings show that further studies embracing different environmental compartments (water, sediment and biota) are needed, in order to evaluate the partition/distribution of pharmaceuticals, their metabolites and transformation products in the environment as well as to predict their possible impact to non-target organisms and, in a last instance, to human health. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigation of PPCPs in wastewater treatment plants in Greece: occurrence, removal and environmental risk assessment.

PubMed

Kosma, Christina I; Lambropoulou, Dimitra A; Albanis, Triantafyllos A

2014-01-01

In the present work, an extensive study on the presence of eighteen pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in eight wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) of Greece has been conducted. The study covered four sampling periods over 1-year, where samples (influents; effluents) from eight WWTPs of various cities in Greece were taken. All WWTPs investigated are equipped with conventional activated sludge treatment. A common pre-concentration step based on SPE was applied, followed by LC-UV/Vis-ESI-MS. Further confirmation of positive findings was accomplished by using LC coupled to a high resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometer. The results showed the occurrence of all target compounds in the wastewater samples with concentrations up to 96.65 μg/L. Paracetamol, caffeine, trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole, carbamazepine, diclofenac and salicylic acid were the dominant compounds, while tolfenamic acid, fenofibrate and simvastatin were the less frequently detected compounds with concentrations in effluents below the LOQ. The removal efficiencies showed that many WWTPs were unable to effectively remove most of the PPCPs investigated. Finally, the study provides an assessment of the environmental risk posed by their presence in wastewaters by means of the risk quotient (RQ). RQs were more than unity for various compounds in the effluents expressing possible threat for the aquatic environment. Triclosan was found to be the most critical compound in terms of contribution and environmental risk, concluding that it should be seriously considered as a candidate for regulatory monitoring and prioritization on a European scale on the basis of realistic PNECs. The results of the extensive monitoring study contributed to a better insight on PPCPs in Greece and their presence in influent and effluent wastewaters. Furthermore, the unequivocal identification of two transformation products of trimethoprim in real wastewaters by using the advantages of the LTQ Orbitrap capabilities provides information that should be taken into consideration in future PPCP monitoring studies in wastewaters. © 2013.

Performance evaluation of a granular activated carbon-sequencing batch biofilm reactor pilot plant system used in treating real wastewater from recycled paper industry.

PubMed

Muhamad, Mohd Hafizuddin; Sheikh Abdullah, Siti Rozaimah; Mohamad, Abu Bakar; Rahman, Rakmi Abdul; Kadhum, Abdul Amir Hasan

2012-01-01

A pilot scale granular activated carbon-sequencing batch biofilm reactor with a capacity of 2.2 m3 was operated for over three months to evaluate its performance treating real recycled paper industry wastewater under different operational conditions. In this study, dissolved air floatation (DAF) and clarifier effluents were used as influent sources of the pilot plant. During the course of the study, the reactor was able to biodegrade the contaminants in the incoming recycled paper mill wastewater in terms of chemical oxygen demand (COD), adsorbable organic halides (AOX; specifically 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP)) and ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N) removal efficiencies at varying hydraulic retention times (HRTs) of 1-3 days, aeration rates (ARs) of 2.1-3.4 m3/min and influent feed concentration of 40-950 mg COD/l. Percentages of COD, 2,4-DCP and NH3-N removals increased with increasing HRT, resulting in more than 90% COD, 2,4-DCP and NH3-N removals at HRT values above two days. Degradation of COD, 2,4-DCP and NH3-N were seriously affected by variation of ARs, which resulted in significant decrease of COD, 2,4-DCP and NH3-N removals by decreasing ARs from 3.4 m3/min to 2.1 m3/min, varying in the ranges of 24-80%, 6-96% and 5-42%, respectively. In comparison to the clarifier effluent, the treatment performance of DAF effluent, containing high COD concentration, resulted in a higher COD removal of 82%. The use of diluted DAF effluent did not improve significantly the COD removal. Higher NH3-N removal efficiency of almost 100% was observed during operation after maintenance shutdown compared to normal operation, even at the same HRT of one day due to the higher dissolved oxygen concentrations (1-7 mg/l), while no significant difference in COD removal efficiency was observed.

Functionally relevant microorganisms to enhanced biological phosphorus removal performance at full-scale wastewater treatment plants in the United States.

PubMed

Gu, April Z; Saunders, A; Neethling, J B; Stensel, H D; Blackall, L L

2008-08-01

The abundance and relevance ofAccumulibacter phosphatis (presumed to be polyphosphate-accumulating organisms [PAOs]), Competibacter phosphatis (presumed to be glycogen-accumulating organisms [GAOs]), and tetrad-forming organisms (TFOs) to phosphorus removal performance at six full-scale enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) wastewater treatment plants were investigated. Coexistence of various levels of candidate PAOs and GAOs were found at these facilities. Accumulibacter were found to be 5 to 20% of the total bacterial population, and Competibacter were 0 to 20% of the total bacteria population. The TFO abundance varied from nondetectable to dominant. Anaerobic phosphorus (P) release to acetate uptake ratios (P(rel)/HAc(up)) obtained from bench tests were correlated positively with the abundance ratio of Accumulibacter/(Competibacter +TFOs) and negatively with the abundance of (Competibacter +TFOs) for all plants except one, suggesting the relevance of these candidate organisms to EBPR processes. However, effluent phosphorus concentration, amount of phosphorus removed, and process stability in an EBPR system were not directly related to high PAO abundance or mutually exclusive with a high GAO fraction. The plant that had the lowest average effluent phosphorus and highest stability rating had the lowest P(rel)/HAc(up) and the most TFOs. Evaluation of full-scale EBPR performance data indicated that low effluent phosphorus concentration and high process stability are positively correlated with the influent readily biodegradable chemical oxygen demand-to-phosphorus ratio. A system-level carbon-distribution-based conceptual model is proposed for capturing the dynamic competition between PAOs and GAOs and their effect on an EBPR process, and the results from this study seem to support the model hypothesis.

Ferrous ions reused as catalysts in Fenton-like reactions for remediation of agro-food industrial wastewater.

PubMed

Leifeld, Vanessa; Dos Santos, Tâmisa Pires Machado; Zelinski, Danielle Wisniewski; Igarashi-Mafra, Luciana

2018-09-15

Cassava is the most important tuberous root in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, being the third largest source of carbohydrates. The root processing is related to the production of starch, an important industrial input, which releases a highly toxic liquid wastewater due to its complex composition, which inhibits high performances of conventional effluent treatments. This study aims to evaluate Fenton-like and photo-Fenton-like reactions for treatment of cassava wastewater, reusing ferrous ions from the preliminary coagulation stage. Pre-treated cassava wastewater was submitted to oxidation in three variations of hydrogen peroxide concentrations, with more relevant analytical responses verified in color, turbidity, COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand), and acute toxicity in Artemia salina, besides the action of radicals during Fenton-like reactions. At higher peroxide concentrations, a decrease of 68% in turbidity and 70% in COD on the photo-Fenton-like system was observed, even at slow reaction rates (fastest rate constant k = 2 × 10 -4 min -1 ). Inclusion of UV increases the viability of the Fenton-like reactions by supplementing the reaction medium with hydroxyl radicals, verified by the tert-butanol tests. The oxidation process leads to high EC 50 values in 24 h of incubation in Fenton-like reactions and 48 h in photo-Fenton-like reactions. Final COD and turbidity suggests that the reuse of iron, which remains in the preliminary treatment step shows a great potential as a catalyst for Fenton-like advanced oxidation processes. Tertiary treatment can be less expensive and harmful to the environment, reducing production of residual sludge and metal content in the final effluent, which reduces polluting potential of the effluent regarding solid waste. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Removal Efficiency and Risk Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in a Typical Municipal Wastewater Treatment Facility in Guangzhou, China.

PubMed

Liu, Zhineng; Li, Qing; Wu, Qihang; Kuo, Dave T F; Chen, Shejun; Hu, Xiaodong; Deng, Mingjun; Zhang, Haozhi; Luo, Min

2017-08-01

The loading and removal efficiency of 16 US EPA polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were examined in an inverted A²/O wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) located in an urban area in China. The total PAH concentrations were 554.3 to 723.2 ng/L in the influent and 189.6 to 262.7 ng/L in the effluent. The removal efficiencies of ∑PAHs in the dissolved phase ranged from 63 to 69%, with the highest observed in naphthalene (80% removal). Concentration and distribution of PAHs revealed that the higher molecular weight PAHs became more concentrated with treatment in both the dissolved phase and the dewatered sludge. The sharpest reduction was observed during the pretreatment and the biological phase. Noncarcinogenic risk, carcinogenic risk, and total health risk of PAHs found in the effluent and sewage sludge were also assessed. The effluent BaP toxic equivalent quantities ( TEQ BaP ) were above, or far above, standards in countries. The potential toxicities of PAHs in sewage effluent were approximately 10 to 15 times higher than the acceptable risk level in China. The health risk associated with the sewage sludge also exceeded international recommended levels and was mainly contributed from seven carcinogenic PAHs. Given that WWTP effluent is a major PAH contributor to surface water bodies in China and better reduction efficiencies are achievable, the present study highlights the possibility of utilizing WWTPs for restoring water quality in riverine and coastal regions heavily impacted by PAHs contamination.

Caffeine in an Urbanized Estuary: Past and Present Influence ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Caffeine has been identified by previous research as a potential tracer of sanitary wastewater. To further assess the utility of caffeine as a tracer of wastewater sources, samples from 25 sites throughout Boston Harbor were collected and analyzed for caffeine by LC-MS/MS. Caffeine concentrations in Boston Harbor ranged from 15 ng/L in the outer harbor to a high of 185 ng/L in the inner harbor; mean concentrations and median concentrations were 51 ng/L were 33 ng/L respectively. These data were visualized by a simple inverse distance weighting model to improve the understanding of transport and fate dynamics of wastewater derived contaminants. Elevated concentrations of caffeine in the inner harbor during the sampling period were determined to be the result of a combined sewage overflow (CSO) event as well as illicit discharge of sanitary sewage into municipal storm drains. A comparison of contemporary results to data from 1998 to 1999 shows significant reductions in caffeine levels within the harbor. For instance, concentrations were reduced by a factor of approximately 20 at the site of the former wastewater effluent discharge outfall in Boston Harbor. Lower present-day concentrations throughout the harbor were attributed to the relocation of effluent discharge from within the harbor to Massachusetts Bay, and a reduction in the number and discharge volume of CSOs. Spatial distributions of caffeine identified CSOs as the major contemporary source of con

40 CFR 417.42 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... COD 13.50 4.50 TSS 0.60 .20 Oil and grease 0.30 .10 pH (1) (1) English units (pounds per 1,000 lb of anhydrous product) BOD5 4.50 1.50 COD 13.50 4.50 TSS 0.60 .20 Oil and grease 0.30 .10 pH (1) (1) 1 Within... CATEGORY Glycerine Concentration Subcategory § 417.42 Effluent limitations guidelines representing the...

40 CFR 417.42 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... COD 13.50 4.50 TSS 0.60 .20 Oil and grease 0.30 .10 pH (1) (1) English units (pounds per 1,000 lb of anhydrous product) BOD5 4.50 1.50 COD 13.50 4.50 TSS 0.60 .20 Oil and grease 0.30 .10 pH (1) (1) 1 Within... CATEGORY Glycerine Concentration Subcategory § 417.42 Effluent limitations guidelines representing the...