Rapid Estimation of Water Pollution from Paper and Pulp Wastes

Abstract

The fact that the pollution of waste water from paper manufacturing plant, especially that of sulfite pulp waste liquor, in natural water streams causes rapid foaming is utilized for a proposed method of rapid estimation of the polution of waters. Approximately 50cc sample water in an oxygen bottle, s shaken and the duration of time for disappearance of the risen foam is measured to make possible for semiquantitative determination to the extent of dilution of 10ppm of the waste liquor. The sensitivity for estimation is higher by using the sample water with lower temperature, also there are some differences between fresh water and sea water, but no remarkable difference is observed when the sea water is diluted to one-half. Since there is some difference in the stability of foam depending upon the kinds of waste waters, it is necessary to make previous test on the relation of duration and stability of foam for a particular water to be tested. By use of this technique, it is possible to estimate the degree of pollution by measuring the durability of foam without measuring the consumption of KMnO4.