Effluent Treatment Facility Research Articles

Simulating the Emission Rate of Volatile Organic Compounds From a Quiescent Water Surface: Model Development and Feasibility Evaluation

Organic solvents are commonly used in industrial manufacturing processes, resulting in large quantities of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from effluent wastewater treatment facilities. This work presents a novel stainless steel simulator designed for developing a model that estimates VOC emission rates from a quiescent water surface in an open/unaerated basin. The target pollutants were aqueous VOCs: alcohols (ethanol and iso-propanol) and methyl ethyl ketone. Two aromatic hydrocarbons, toluene and benzene, were also used and each mixed with ethanol. A formula, based on penetration theory and the concept of mass balance, was devised for simulating emission rates (N), with the following variables: wind velocity (W) above the air–water interface with a power number of β, the VOC concentration (C g*) at equilibrium with aqueous concentration (C L), and the emitted concentration (C g). Restated, N = kW β A s(C g* − C g), where k and β denote dimensionless constants, which were solved herein, and A s represents the emission surface area. From the proposed formula, three parameters (C L, water temperature, and W) were controlled during each simulation test to derive k and β values. To assess the feasibility of the simulation procedures for real water with multiple VOC compositions, a large open neutralization basin was used to measure the VOC emission rate. Comparing the calculated results, respectively using the proposed formula and emission model Water 8 developed by the U.S. EPA in 1985, confirmed that the proposed simulation method was a feasible alternative to Water 8.

Emission of methane and carbon dioxide and earthworm survival during composting of pharmaceutical sludge and spent mycelia

Emissions of methane (CH 4) and carbon dioxide (CO 2) from spent mycelia of the mold Penicilium notatum and sludge from the effluent treatment facility (ETPS) of a pharmaceutical industry were estimated twice during a two-week composting before vermicomposting. These wastes are dumped in landfills or sometimes used in agricultural fields and no reports are available on their greenhouse gas producing potentials. The solid wastes contained appreciable organic carbon and nitrogen while very high Fe, Mn and Zn were found in ETPS only. Pure wastes did not support germination of Vigna radiata L. while mixing soil with ETPS and spent mycelia at the ratios of 12:1 and 14:1 led to 80% and 50% germination, respectively. The wastes were mixed with cowdung at the ratios of 1:1, 1:3 and 3:1 for composting. Carbon dioxide emissions were always significantly higher than CH 4 emissions from all the treatments due to prevalence of aerobic condition during composting. From some treatments, CH 4 emissions increased with time, indicating increasing activity of anaerobic bacteria in the waste mixtures. Methane emissions ranged from 21.6 to 231.7 μg m −2 day −1 while CO 2 emissions were greater than thousand times at 39.8–894.8 mg m −2 day −1. The amount of C emitted as CH 4–C and CO 2–C from ranged from 0.007% to 0.081% of total C composted. Cowdung emitted highest CH 4 followed by spent mycelia and ETPS while ETPS emitted more CO 2 than spent mycelia but lesser than cowdung. Global warming potential of emitted CH 4 was found to be in the range of 10.6–27.7 mg-CO 2-equivalent on a 20-year time horizon. The results suggest that pharmaceutical wastes can be an important source of CH 4 and CO 2 during composting or any other stockpiling under suitable moisture conditions. The waste mixtures were found not suitable for vermicomposting after two weeks composting and earthworms did not survive long in the mixtures.

Physico-chemical Treatment of Wastewater From Clusters of Small Scale Cotton Textile Units

Small scale industries can not own individual wastewater treatment facility due to non-availability of land and skilled manpower for operation and maintenance of wastewater treatment plants. A centralized wastewater treatment facility for clusters of small scale industries is appropriate. This concept is gaining popularity in recent years. In India, various textile process operations are undertaken by individual small scale units. The wastewater generated at these units is conveyed to a common effluent treatment facility comprising of equalization, flocculation-clarification, activated sludge process, secondary clarification and finally discharge into inland surface water bodies. The wastewater from small scale cotton textile processing units was highly coloured and alkaline with average BOD and COD concentration of 205 and 790 mgl−1, respectively. Due to the presence of several dyes, particularly reactive dyes, the biological treatment is often found less effective. Therefore, applicability of various physico-chemical treatment methods needs to be investigated in pursuit of an alternative to biological treatment of textile wastewater. A physico-chemical treatment scheme, involving chemical coagulation-sedimentation, dual media filtration, activated carbon adsorption followed by chemical oxidation was investigated in this paper. The quality of final treated wastewater in terms of BOD and COD was 18-24 and 230-240 mgl−1, respectively through this scheme. A scheme of treatment comprising coagulation-sedimentation, dual media filtration, activated carbon, chemical oxidation may be considered as an alternative to biological treatment of textile wastewater.

Biomedical waste in laboratory medicine: Audit and management

Pathology, microbiology, blood bank and other diagnostic laboratories generate sizable amount of biomedical waste (BMW). The audit of the BMW is required for planning proper strategies. The audit in our laboratory revealed 8 kgs anatomical waste, 600 kgs microbiology waste, 220 kgs waste sharps, 15 kgs soiled waste, 111 kgs solid waste, 480 litres liquid waste along with 33,000 litres per month liquid waste generated from labware washing and laboratory cleaning and 162 litres of chemical waste per month. Section wise details are described in the text. Needle sharps are collected in puncture proof containers and the needles autoclaved before sending to needle pit. The glass forms the major sharp category and is disinfected with hypochlorite before washing/recycling. All microbiology waste along with containers/plates/tubes are autoclaved before recycling/disposal. The problem of formalin fixed anatomical waste as histology specimens is pointed out. The formalin containing tissues cannot be sent for incineration for the fear of toxic gas release and the guidelines by the Biomedical waste rule makers need to be amended for the issue. The discarded/infected blood units in blood bank need to be autoclaved before disposal since chemical treatments are difficult or inefficient. The liquid waste management needs more attention and effluent treatment facility needs to be viewed seriously for hospital in general. The segregation of waste at source is the key step and reduction, reuse and recycling should be considered in proper perspectives.

Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CEPT) for Wastewater Management from a Cluster of Small Scale Tanneries

Effluent treatment plants need land for construction, capital cost, power and specialized manpower for their operation and maintenance. Because of these constraints, small scale tanneries can not afford to have their own effluent treatment facilities and therefore, combined effluent from all tanneries are to be brought to a centralized place for treatment. This facility is called a Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP). For operation and maintenance of CETP, small scale tanners formed a co-operative society. The expenses for operation and maintenance of CETP are being shared by participating tanneries. Wastewater management for the cluster of small scale tanneries was studied in details and various measures were incorporated to improve performance of the CETP and also to improve treated effluent quality to confirm standard prescribed by regulatory agencies. Performance of existing CETP was evaluated. Based on the results, bench scale laboratory treatability studies were conducted for improvement in treated effluent quality and also to suggest appropriate modifications to the CETP. These studies are detailed in this paper.

ＥＣＦ漂白工程の操業経験

Oxygen bleaching sequence, efficient washing system and reinforced effluent treatment facilities that had been introduced in Hachinohe mill of Mitsubishi Paper Mill since 1988, was allowed to reduce adsorbed organic halogen (AOX) with greatefficiency. However the global environmental demand intensely trends toward more and more reduction of emission or pollution. In view of the situation, the introduction of the elemental chlorine free (ECF) bleaching sequence to Hachinohe mill has been decided in 1999.In October 2000, No. 3 BKP-line, the product line of LBKP, was adapted for ECF bleaching sequence with the minimum conversion of existent bleaching facilities except continuous cooker, washing facilities oxygen bleaching stage and so on. D0 (E/O) PD, sequence, in which the existent bleaching towers could be used, was selected for the ECF bleaching sequence on No. 3 BKP-line.It was found that the brightness of oxygen-bleached pulp instead of the kappa number of Oxygen-bleached pulp dominated the bleaching efficiency on ECF bleaching sequence in contrast with the conventional chlorine bleaching sequence. In the operation of ECF bleaching sequence, the prevention of scale and the reduction of bleaching chemicals have been carried out.In this report, we describe the operational experience of ECF bleaching in this last year and discuss the main issues in ECF bleaching such as the influence of hexeneuronic acid in unbleachedpulp.

Incorporating sustainability in textile effluent treatment facilities

Sustainable development encompasses environmental, social and economic considerations. As such, the stakeholders include industry, government, individuals and communities. When designing or operating an industrial plant, it is insufficient to consider only the economic viability of the facility. This paper examines the background to current sustainability awareness and presents a case study that incorporates sustainability principles in the design of an effluent treatment plant for a textile plant. The likely design of the treatment system (electro flotation followed by filtration) will do more than just meet regulatory requirements, it will maximise possible reuse of water and so minimise environmental impact of the facility.

Marine-based waste stabilisation ponds: an evaluation of the hydraulic viability

Marine-Based Waste Stabilisation Ponds, formed by floating boom/skirt curtain enclosures anchored in sheltered waters, have recently been proposed for provision of low-cost effluent treatment facilities where land availability is limited in rapidly expanding coastal cities in the Third World. This paper outlines findings from a viability assessment, which drew on a preliminary site evaluation and baseline environmental survey (for a site in sheltered waters in the Far East), laboratory studies involving scale model tests in wave/wind/current flumes, and a structural and design loading study. It focuses on hydraulic and hydrodynamic considerations and reports the study's conclusions.

Operation and Maintenance of Reconstructed Effluent Treatment Facilities at Takahagi Mill

Build-up of dissolved and suspended solids during increase in paper production can cause serious effluent treating problems which may result in a higher level of BOD of discharge from external treatment.In order to satisfy the effluent standard (BOD≤20mg/l), it is required not only to reduce the discharges of liquid effluents emanate from mill but also to intensify the effluent treatmentabilities.We perfomed installation of new facilities into effluent treatment system which include a high speed coagulator (:“Sumi-Thickener” produced by Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd) to reinforce efficiency of the primary clarification and a submarged aerator (:“Hanshin-Aquarator” produced by Hanshin Engineering Co., Ltd) in aeration tank to keep D. O level, amountimg to 1.0mg/l, for activated sludge biological systems.

Foreign technologies reduce costs and accelerate hanford site cleanup

AbstractForeign technologies are being transferred to DOE's Hanford Site in Washington State to reduce costs and accelerate cleanup. Hanford is the most highly contaminated site in the DOE complex; its cleanup mission is projected to take over 30 years at a cost of approximately $230 billion. DOE contractors are using proven foreign technologies and services to accelerate cleanup and bypass costly technology development.Many of the international activities being funded at the Hanford Site by DOE's Office of Environmental Management, Office of Technology Development (EM‐50), play a key role in meeting Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (Tri‐Party Agreement) milestones that were established among DOE, EPA, and the Washington State Department of Ecology. For example, the purchase of a safe cask system from France meets the requirement for emergency aboveground transportation of liquid tank waste. An Effluent Treatment Facility built by a U.S. company that is wholly owned by Japan Gas Corporation supports milestones related to effluent waste management. Use of British technical services for various phases of the Initial Pretreatment Module supports other important milestones.This article begins with a brief history of the Hanford Site cleanup mission. The major EM technical focus areas, countries that are collaborating with Hanford Site contractors, and specific initiatives are discussed. This article concludes with a summary of 1994–95 international activities that have had the greatest impact on meeting DOE cleanup goals.

Investing in aquacultural wastewater techniques for improved water quality: A coastal community case study

As the cost of constructing and maintaining wastewater treatment plants increases, small communities are beginning to look towards possible alternatives to the existing energy intensive and cost prohibitive conventional treatment methods. This case study examines the economic feasibility of using aquaculture as a polishing treatment stage in the municipal wastewater treatment stabilization ponds in the coastal community of Damariscotta, Maine. Damariscotta has turned to stabilization ponds to handle their wastewater treatment and an abundance of the Zooplankton Daphnia has developed in these ponds. The objective of this study is to examine the economic potential of using this Daphnia for aquacultural purposes while simultaneously improving the quality of the treatment facility's effluent. Golden shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas) is the fish species that is to be raised in these ponds. The costs of constructing the facility and the revenues generated through sale of the shiners are calculated in the economi...

Effluent Treatment Facility Tritium Emissions Monitoring

An Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved sampling and analysis protocol was developed and executed to verify atmospheric emissions compliance for the new Savannah River Site (SRS) F/H area Effluent Treatment Facility. Sampling equipment was fabricated, installed, and tested at stack monitoring points for filtrable particulate radionuclides, radioactive iodine, and tritium. The only detectable anthropogenic radionuclides released from Effluent Treatment Facility stacks during monitoring were iodine-129 and tritium oxide. This paper only examines the collection and analysis of tritium oxide.

Fly ash as a sorbent for the removal of biologically resistant organic matter

Six different fly ashes, in both an untreated and an acidified form, were studied with respect to their ability to remove color and organic materials from a municipal waste treatment facility effluent. Color, fluorescence, and chemical oxygen demand were used to monitor the removal. The apparent predominant mechanism varies with the pH and the chemical characteristics of the ash. These mechanisms include carbon sorption, calcium precipitation of tannins and humics, sorption on the fly ash surface by silica, alumina, and/or iron oxide and, in the acidified situation, coagulation of colored colloids in the effluent dissolved from the fly ash. Some additional deleterious components are dissolved into the effluent during the treatment process. Many of these materials can, however, be removed by using a two-stage fly ash sorption process.Particularly of interest is the ability to remove over 90% of the boron from the effluent.

Water Demand Management: An Evaluation of a “Soft” Solution for the Hamilton Harbour Remedial Action Plan

The investigation of actions for the remediation of Hamilton Harbour has focussed largely on the traditional “end of the pipe” solutions to the problems of municipal wastewater treatment. This paper attempts to place one “at source” solution, water demand management, into the context of the remedial action plan. Fully developed relationships between volumes of water usage and the quality of sewage treatment facility effluent have not yet received an adequate degree of investigation. Nevertheless, ample evidence is available to suggest that water demand management is the most cost effective method for the remedial action of municipal water pollution for Hamilton Harbour.

Water quality and pollution control

This paper charts the decline in the quality of Japan's water resources from about 1955, and the increasingly energetic measures taken to reverse the trend. The standards set by the Basic Law for Environmental Pollution Control are described, and their impact to date is assessed. With respect to human health protection the measures taken have been almost wholly successful, but serious problems of environmental pollution remain, especially in lakes and reservoirs. The main countermeasures against water pollution ‐ effluent control, sewerage and night soil treatment facilities, control of pollutants, steps to arrest eutrophication and prevent groundwater contamination ‐ are described. Finally, the special measures adopted and proposed for lakes and reservoirs are outlined.

The Treatment of Oil in Refinery Wastewater in South East Asia

In response to more severe pollution control regulations and from a desire to reduce pollution levels, oil industry installations are having to re-examine their effluent treatment facilities. Options for upgrading the quality of effluent discharged include: improvements in water management to decrease volumes of effluent produced in processes; modifications to existing effluent treatment plant both in performance and operating procedures by the installation of new components or the replacement of individual units; and the installation of completely new effluent treatment facilities using the latest technology. In most existing plants considerable increases in efficiency can be brought about at relatively low cost by the correct application of a range of options. Where new installations are being constructed valuable lessons may be learned by examining the problems that are occurring in plants already in operation. Improvements may thus be made on existing designs.

Refuse, Recycling and Resource Recovery in Industrial Applications

Growing environmental pressures and escalating intake water costs are causing an increasing number of industrialists to reappraise their effluent treatment facilities with a view to effluent recycle and/or resource recovery. In certain instances industrialists have opted for treated sewage effluent as a water source for their process. Water Management Schemes are being, or have been, implemented at a number of industrial concerns in order to rationalise overall water intake and effluent disposal costs.

Development of oily water effluent treatment process.

Prior to the construction of the Osaka Refinery, Koa Oil Co., Ltd. developed an oily water effluent treatment process which satisfies effluent regulations and is operationally excellent and economical. This process has been established as the nucleus of the water effluent treatment facilities for the Osaka Refinery, and is now operating satisfactorily. The process, which removes suspended matters, oil, etc. in water effluent by a unique combination of a filtering material and adsorbents, comprises a sand filter drum, two oil adsorbent drums and an activated carbon drum. Having taken various matters into consideration in the development of the process, it can be continuously operated for long periods of time. The process is also being used at the Marifu Refinery of the company. Further, it is being adopted in various industrial fields and is contributing to the prevention of environmental pollution.