ENVE 102 ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY

2022-2023 SPRING SEMESTER

RECITATION #2
March 24, 2023

Question 1:

Assume that you are an intern in a water treatment plant. The plant’s engineer gets a water
sample from the inlet, which is the entry point of surface water into the plant for treatment. The
lab technician conducted the BOD experiment and reported that the ultimate and 5-day BOD
values of this water sample are 42 and 23 mg/L, respectively. The engineer asks you to
calculate the reaction rate constant (k) and BOD9. Find these values and comment on them
stating if they are high or low.

Solution:

yt = L0 - Lt = L0 (1-e-kt)

y5=L0 (1-e-kt)

23 = 42 (1-e-k*5d)

e-k*5d = 1-(23/42)= 0.45

-5*k=-0.79

k= 0.159 d-1

BOD9 = 42* (1-e-0.159 (1/d) *9 d)

BOD9 = 32 mg/L

Question 2:

The ultimate BOD value of a sample is 180 mg/L. If k for this sample is 0.32 day-1, how much
of the BOD is exerted, and how much remains after the following times:

a) 3 days
b) 5 days
c) 10 days
d) If k was 0.50 day-1, please comment on how the results would change by comparing
BOD10 values for both cases?

Solution:

y means exerted BOD

L means remaining BOD

a)
y3 = BOD3 =180 mg/L * (1-e-0.32*3) = 111 mg/L O2
 L3 = (180-111) = 69 mg/L O2

You can also obtain L from L=L0e-kt,

L3=180 mg/L * e-0.32*3 = 69 mg/L O2

b)
y5 = BOD5 = 180 mg/L * (1-e-0.32*5) = 144 mg/L O2
L5 = (180-144) = 36 mg/L O2

b)
y10 = BOD10 =180 mg/L * (1-e-0.32*10) = 173 mg/L O2
L10 = (180-173) = 7 mg/L O2

After 10 days, about 96 % (i.e., 173/180*100=96%) of the ultimate BOD has been
exerted. Thus, oxygen consumption over the first 10 days would provide a close
approximation to ultimate value of 180 mg/L.

d)
y10 = BOD10 =180 mg/L * (1-e-0.5*10) = 179 mg/L
L10 = (180-179) = 1 mg/L

If k value increases, it is observed that more BOD is exerted on the 10th day, this is
because microbial activities occur faster in the second case (i.e., when the k is higher).

Question 3:

Using the DO vs time data (P = 1/40) given below for a wastewater;

b. Determine the reaction rate constant, k and the ultimate BOD, L0, using Thomas’
graphical method.
c. Calculate BOD10 for this sample.
Table 1: Dissolved Oxygen vs Time Data
t (days) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
DO (mg/L) 8.0 6.3 5.2 4.0 3.3 3.0 2.5 2.0

Solution:

Calculate corresponding BOD values from the given DO concentrations:

BOD = (DOi - DOf) / P

Example calculations:

BOD1 = (8.0 – 6.3) / (1/40) = 68 mg/L

BOD2 = (8.0 – 5.2) / (1/40) = 110 mg/L
BOD3 = (8.0 – 4.0) / (1/40) = 160 mg/L
BOD4 = (8.0 – 3.3) / (1/40) = 190 mg/L
BOD5 = (8.0 – 3.0) / (1/40) = 200 mg/L
BOD6 = (8.0 – 2.5) / (1/40) = 220 mg/L
BOD7 = (8.0 – 2.0) / (1/40) = 240 mg/L
Table 2: Calculated BOD or y values
t (days) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
DO (mg/L) 8.0 6.3 5.2 4.0 3.3 3.0 2.5 2.0

BOD or y (mg/L) 0.0 68.0 110.0 160.0 190.0 200.0 220.0 240.0

Use Thomas’ graphical method utilizing MS Excel.

Table 3: Calculated (t/y)1/3 Data

t (days) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
BOD or y
(mg/L) 0.0 68.0 112.0 160.0 188.0 200.0 220.0 240.0
(t/y)1/3 - 0.2450 0.2614 0.2657 0.2771 0.2924 0.3010 0.3078
 (t/y)^1/3 vs t
0,320

0,300 y = 0,0105x + 0,2366

(t/y)^1/3

0,260

0,240

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

t (day)

Figure 1: (t/y)1/3 vs t Graph

Intercept = A = (L0*k)-1/3 = L0-1/3 * k-1/3

L0-1/3 = A * k1/3
Slope = B = (k2/3) / (6*L01/3) = (k2/3* L0-1/3) / 6
B = (k2/3 * A * k1/3) / 6
B = (k*A) / 6
k = 6*B/A
Once the linear regression line is drawn and the equation obtained using MS Excel, then we can
find out the parameters:

Intercept = A = 0.2366
Slope = B = 0.0105
k = 6*B/A = 0.2663 day-1
L0 = 1/(k*(A)3) = 283.5 mg/L O2

b.

From yt = L0*(1-e-kt)
y10 = 283.5 * (1 - e-0.2663*10) = 264 mg/L O2

Question 4:
 The 5-day BOD of an influent to the wastewater treatment plant of a tomato paste factory is
expected to be about 1200 mg/L based on similar wastewater. What minimum dilution/dilutions
should be used in a five-day BOD test? Calculate the volume of the sample to be used for your
suggested dilution.

Solution:

Generally, the initial DO concentration in typicall distilled water is 8-9 mg/L. So, three different initial
DO values are assumed. In order to take appropriate results during the experiment (during five day) final
DO concentration should be greater than or equal to 2 mg/L.

Table shows the dilution factors for DOi=9, 8.5, 8 and DOf = 2 mg/L

𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝑖𝑖 – 𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝑓𝑓
𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵5 =
𝑃𝑃
BOD5 = 1200 mg/L

DOi (mg/L) DOf (mg/L) Deficit (mg/L) P

9 2 7 7/1200=1/171.4 = 0.00583
8.5 2 6.5 6.5/1200=1/184.2=0.00542
8 2 6 6/1200=1/200=0.005

For P = 1/200
P = decimal volumetric fraction sample used
V of sample to be used: 300/200 = 1.5 ml sample

V = 1.5 ml sample
P = 1.5/300 = 1 / 200
𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷 – 𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷
𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵5 =
𝑃𝑃
1 𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚
𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷 = 8 – �1200 ∗ � �� = 2
200 𝐿𝐿
(DO is 2 mg/L)

Select a new sample volume close to this value

V =300/171.4= 1.75 ml sample

P = 7/1200 = 1 / 171.4
𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷 – 𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷
𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵5 =
𝑃𝑃
1 𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚
𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷 = 9 – �1200 ∗ � �� = 2
171.4 𝐿𝐿
(DO is 2 mg/L)

So, P should be 1/200