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Atv M 704 e PDF
Atv M 704 e PDF
W A S T E W A T E R - W A S T E
ADVISORY LEAFLET
ATV-M 704E
May 1997
ISBN 3-934984-59-2
Marketing:
Gesellschaft zur Frderung der Abwassertechnik e.V. (GFA)
Theodor-Heuss-Allee 17
D-53773 Hennef
Postfach 11 65, 53758 Hennef
ATV-M 704 E
The ATV Working Group 7.4.3 "Methods of Analysis for the Self-Monitoring (Functional
Monitoring) of Wastewater Treatment Systems by Operational Personnel" has revised
the ATV Guide ATV-H 704 (9/91 Edition) and has converted it into an up-dated version in
an ATV Advisory Leaflet, ATV-M 704.
The Advisory Leaflet presented here has been prepared within the framework of the
ATV committee work, taking into account the Standard ATV-A 400 "Principles for the
Preparation of Rules and Standards" in the Rules and Standards
Wastewater/Waste, in the January 1994 version. With regard to the application of
the Rules and Standards, Para. 1 of Point 5 of A 400 includes the following
statement The Rules and Standards are freely available to everyone. An obligation
to apply them can result for reasons of legal regulations, contracts or other legal
grounds. Whosoever applies them is responsible for the correct application in
specific cases. Through the application of the Rules and Standards no one avoids
responsibility for his own actions. However, for the user, prima facie evidence shows
that he has taken the necessary care.
All rights, in particular those of translation into other languages, are reserved. No part of this Advisory
Leaflet may be reproduced in any form by photocopy, microfilm or any other process or transferred or
translated into a language usable in machines, in particular data processing machines, without the written
approval of the publisher.
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Contents
4 Documentation .....................................................................................................10
5 Terms ....................................................................................................................11
6 Literature
(Known translations are given in full. Where there is no known translation a short courtesy
translation is given in square brackets) ............................................................................12
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In order to be able to meet the legal provisions with the discharge of wastewater into
lakes and rivers or into public wastewater facilities, wastewater treatment systems must
be maintained and operated correctly. Only in this way is it possible to be able to take
immediate remedial measures if internal or external faults occur. The majority of the
German Federal State governments have already promulgated ordinances for the self-
monitoring of wastewater systems. These ordinances regulate the procedure with
functional and discharge control in order to ensure an optimum protection of lakes and
rivers.
With the majority of public and industrial wastewater systems self-monitoring is carried
out by operational personnel. In order to reduce and simplify the overall analytical
expense, methods of analysis have been developed for this, the so-called operational
methods. They can be handled simply by personnel with basic analytical-chemical
knowledge. In this Advisory Leaflet it is shown how personnel of a public or industrial
wastewater system can use the operational methods for self-monitoring reliably and
safely.
In order not to expand this Advisory Leaflet, descriptions are limited to physical and
chemical procedures, whereby some aspects also apply for biotests with which,
however, additional more far-reaching problems can appear.
The determinations for the employment of operational methods made in this Advisory
Leaflet serve to supplement and develop the regulations under Federal German and
German State law, however, they represent no replacement for these regulations.
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operational methods contributes considerably to the solution of the problem as, with this,
expensive separation steps are to a large extent disposed with and time saving
simplifications are undertaken.
The simplification of the methods has only insignificant consequences for the accuracy of
the measurement results. With the determination of the individual content substances of
the wastewater, disruptive influences can indeed occur due to non or only incompletely
separated attendant substances, these can, however, based on the as a rule constant
wastewater composition in the individual plant, be determined using the measures
described in Sect 3 and taken into account appropriately. If the results of the operational
methods are ensured by the quality controls described in Sect. 3.3 these can be used for
the perpetuation of evidence.
- correspond, within the meaning of work safety, with laiddown standard specifications
(e.g. Accident Prevention Regulations, Safety Rules, etc.
- details on shelf life dates and storage conditions for reagents are to be made clearly
visible on the packaging
- possibilities for quality control within the sense of Sect. 3.3 are to be given
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- modifications to the handling (e.g. amendments to factors with photometric
determination) must be current and indicated clearly.
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- investigation findings from operational methods have until now not been called upon
as evidence with assessments and investigations in connection with court proceedings
as these methods are not standardised. Under the safeguard of quality control in
accordance with Sect. 3.3 the results of operational methods, however, can certainly
be called upon for the perpetuation of evidence
- the employment of operational methods can significantly reduce the requirement for
standardised analytical methods with self-monitoring up to parallel investigations by
which external analytical quality assurance can even be totally replaced.
As additional possibilities for the application of the methods there are, for example, the
following:
- carrying out of investigation series (e.g. with technical process changes of the
treatment process)
The operator must decide the operational method suitable for his special application case
based on the criteria mentioned in Sects. 2.1. and 2.2. With this the measurement range
is in particular to be so chosen that the expected result can be found as far as possible in
the 20 to 80 % interval of the measurement range. This range, based on experience,
shows the greatest analytical certainty. Suitable dilution measures are permitted.
With the question of the suitability of a new operational method or, with difficult
wastewater, the comparative measurements described below can be used.
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- it is recommended that this parallel investigation is carried out on at least 10 samples
which each represent a representative operational condition of the sewage treatment
plant
- the parallel investigation is to be carried out separately at all sampling points relevant
for the operator.
In each case the mean value of the standardised analysis method (y) and that of the
operational method (x) are calculated from the respective measurement values. The
difference (D) is the measurement figure for the systematic deviation of the results with
the comparison between the standardised analysis method and the operational method
(D = [y - x]) in mg/l. Based on the percentile deviation (Drel ) the user can decide whether
the examined method satisfies his requirements.
- practice of the operational method using existing operational instructions for each
parameter with representative wastewater samples of the planned application case
(independent execution and handling)
- information on the respective hazards with the handling of chemicals taking into
account the employment of personal protective equipment (e.g. protective glasses,
protective gloves) as well as first aid treatment
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- sorting and disposal of resultant wastes and wastewater.
The skills and knowledge imparted in the basic instruction must be consolidated and
brought up to date at regular intervals through instruction by specialist personnel. With
this particular value is to be placed on the careful acquisition, documentation and
interpretation of the measurement values.
With the employment of operational methods the operator must pay particular attention
to Internal Quality Controls (IQC) [in German IQK]. Through this it is to be ensured that
the handling, the reagents used and the measurement equipment are subject to
permanent internal examination. These controls are to be carried as follows:
In most cases the user of operational methods will carry out sampling himself (DIN
38402-A 11). Therefore instruction into the significance of sampling, associated
problems, the selection of suitable sampling equipment and the sampling vessels as well
as the transportation of samples and the handling of samples is to take place. If it
appears that, within a certain time, the samples cannot be examined on site, then
instruction on correct preservation is to be given.
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4 Documentation
The taking into account of the above given advice for internal quality control is
prerequisite for the obtaining of correct analysis results with constant high quality.
However, the data earns a reasonable significance only if the circumstances of their
registration and the further measures which are carried out for quality assurance, are
verifiably documented in the operational logbook.
The measurement results must give a representative statement for the application case.
Basically, for all procedures, it applies that the accuracy of the measurement results is
dependent on the precision of the respective measurement method and not on a high
number of points on the indicator scale. By appropriate selection of the unit all figures are
to be limited to as far as possible few points (DIN 38402, Part 1, Details on Analysis
Results).
In addition to the actual measurement results all boundary conditions for the sampling,
sample preparation and measurement must be documented. To this belongs the point in
(or period of) time, type and location of sampling, type and duration of storage, measures
for the conservation of the sample, details on the analysis method etc. Furthermore it
must be possible to find in the protocol who carried out the respective activities and is
thus responsible. The documentation of the measurement results must be complete and
clear.
The measures given under Sect. 3.3 serve for the quality assurance of the analysis. All
measures, which are made in this connection must be documented clearly and
comprehensively. Through this it is possible for the operational personnel and also, in
particular, outsiders, to obtain an objective picture of the quality of the data achieved.
The documentation can, for example, be in the form of method related IQC cards, into
which every quality control measure for this method is collected. This should take place
in a form which, in a case of dispute, makes it possible to allocate certain disputed data
to appropriate IQC measures so that the proof of correct determination can be easily
produced.
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instructional measures should be kept which allows, at any time, verification that certain
measurements or samplings are carried out by qualified personnel.
5 Terms
Several important terms are used in the Advisory Leaflet, which are of fundamental
significance in operational analysis. These terms have, until now, not been consistently
laid down in the relevant specialist literature. They are therefore described here in more
detail and defined. It would be desirable that these terms found application in the same
way in technical rules and standards.
Operational methods
Measures for quality verification which the user can carryout him/herself with the
employment of operational methods.
IQC card
Parallel investigations
Parallel investigations from divided samples using operational and reference methods.
Comparative measurements
Self-monitoring
In the Advisory Leaflet the term "Self-monitoring" represents the regulations made in the
individual German Federal States for the carrying out of measurements by the operator
under his/her own responsibility (in German "Selbstberwachung" and also
"Eigenkontrolle" and "Eigenberwachung").
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Accuracy
The accuracy of a measurement result is, in this Advisory Leaflet, a general expression
for analytical quality. Terms such as "correctness" and "precision" are included in this.
6 Literature
(Known translations are given in full. Where there is no known translation a short courtesy
translation is given in square brackets]
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