School of Energy & Environment (SEE)

Water Pollution

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 1
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Global water distribution

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 2
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Water Cycle

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 3
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Water Pollution

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 4
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Water Pollution

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 5
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Water Pollution

üTechnological Intervention Required????

üHow; Why and When
üRole of Engineers

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 6
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Water Pollution

“The loss of any of the actual or potential beneficial uses of

water caused by any change in its composition due to
human activity".

• Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies, usually

as a result of human activities.
• Water bodies include lakes, rivers, aquifers, ground water.
• Water pollution results when contaminants are introduced
into the natural environment in excess concentrations.

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 7
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Characteristics of Water
Characteristics-

Physical – Solids, temperature, colour, odour, turbidity, oil and

grease, conductivity,

Chemical – Organics: proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, surfactants,

phenols pesticides, emerging org.,
Inorganics: pH, chlorides, alkalinity, nitrogen,
phosphorus, heavy metals
Gases: Oxygen, hydrogen sulfide, methane

Aggregate organics – BOD, COD, TOC

Biological – pathogens, indicators, viruses, invertebrates

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 8
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Sources of water pollution

vPoint – single large sources

vNon-point - a diffuse source of pollution that cannot be
attributed to a clearly identifiable, specific physical location
or a defined discharge channel.
• general runoff of sediments
• pesticide spraying
• fertilisers from farms

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 9
Environment (SEE) Environment
Point and non point sources of water
pollution

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 10
Environment (SEE) Environment
Major Water Pollutants and Their Sources

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 11
Environment (SEE) Environment
Contaminants affecting water bodies

Ø Biodegradable organic matter

Ø Suspended, colloidal and dissolved solids
Ø Nutrients
Ø Pathogens
Ø Acidic, basic and ionic species
Ø Soaps and detergents
Ø Pesticides
Ø Colour and odour causing substances
Ø Volatile organics
Ø Recalcitrant and refractory organics
Ø Thermal / Radioactive material

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 12
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Categories
v Fund pollutants
Degradable – organic residuals that are broken down by
bacteria
Thermal – injection of heat into water source
Eutrophic – excessive nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorous)
leading to too much aquatic plant growth
Persistent pollutants – inorganic/synthetic chemicals that
are only partially broken down
Bacteria, viruses, artificial hormones – from domestic and
animal wastes
v Stock pollutants
Minerals and inorganic/organic chemicals that cannot be
removed by natural processes (lead, cadmium, mercury, some
agrochemicals)

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 13
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Conti…

Effects
Eutrophication
Food Chain contamination
Metals, organics, pathogens
Loss of biodiversity and Destruction of natural resources

Monitoring of water bodies

Physico-chemical monitoring
Biological monitoring

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 14
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Important components of monitoring

VARIABLES
§ Contaminants
SOURCES
§ Concentrations
§ Time
§ Locations
PATHWAYS

§ Rates of migration
§ Time

§ Types
RECEPTOR
§ Sensitivities
§ Time
§ Concentrations
THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 15
Environment (SEE) Environment
Nature and Characteristics of
Wastewater

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 16
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Dissolved Oxygen (DO)

ü Important measure of water quality

ü Oxygen is marginally soluble in water & inversely proportional to

temperature

ü Maximum DO at water temperature of 16 deg.C is 10 mg/L

ü DO analysis measures the amount of gaseous oxygen (O2) dissolved

in an aqueous solution

ü Oxygen gets into water by diffusion from the surrounding air, by

aeration (rapid movement), and as a product of photosynthesis.

ü As dissolved oxygen levels in water drop below 5 mg/l, aquatic life

is put under stress.

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 17
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Water Quality
Dissolved Oxygen

Good 8–9

Slightly 6.7–8
polluted
Moderately
polluted 4.5–6.7

Heavily 4–4.5
polluted

Gravely Below 4
polluted

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 18
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Physio-chemical characteristics
Aggregate organics
Total Organic Carbon (TOC)
Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
Chemical
Organics – Proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, surfactants,
phenols, pesticides, etc.
Inorganics – pH, chlorides, alkalinity, nitrogen,
phosphorous, heavy metals,
Gases - hydrogen sulphide, methane, etc.
Physical
Solids, temperature, colour, odour, turbidity, oil and
grease, conductivity

Sampling – Grab, composite & flow weighted composite

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 19
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Aggregate organics

Total Organic Carbon (TOC)

• It is used to express the pollution load in terms of carbon
content
• It is measured directly by using the instrument called TOC
analyzer
• Theoretical calculation can be done if the chemical formula
of the given compound is known.

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 20
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Conti…

ThOD
This is the total amount of oxygen required to completely oxidize a
known compound to CO2 and H2O. It is a theoretical calculation that
depends on simple stoichiometric principles. It can only be calculated
on compounds of known composition.

C6H12O6 + 6O2 = 6CO2 + 6H2O

Molecular weight of C6H12O6 = 180

= 192/180
= 1.067 g O2/g of C6H12O6
= 106 mg/l

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 21
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)

Significance
• Measures pollution potential of organic matter
organic matter + oxidant ⇒ CO2 + H2O

• Decomposable organic matter results in consumption of DO

in the receiving streams

• Does not differentiate between biologically degradable &

nondegradable organic matter

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 22
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Conti…

Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)

q Chemical oxygen demand (COD) is defined as the amount
of a specified oxidant that reacts with the sample under
controlled conditions.
q Organic matter assessed in the term of oxygen required to
completely oxidise the organic matter to CO2 and H2O and
other oxidized species
q Potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7) is used as an oxygen
source to oxidize the organic carbon present in the sample
q Expressed in equivalent amount of oxygen.

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 23
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Oxidation – reduction reactions

Oxidation – reduction reactions

• Comprise two half reactions

− Removal of electrons - oxidation
− Addition of electrons - reduction

• Organic matter is oxidized to CO2 & H2O, electrons are released

• Oxidizing chemical is reduced while accepting the released electrons

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 24
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)
§The COD measurement is applicable to measure the pollution
load in the industrial wastewaters containing organic carbon
like: textile, paper industries, pharmaceutical etc.

Procedure

§The chemical oxygen demand (COD) of a waste is measured

in terms of the amount of potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7)
reduced by the sample during 2 hr at 150°C

§Sample is titrated with Ferrous Ammonium Sulphate(FAS) by

using ferroin indicator.
THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 25
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Aggregate organics
§COD test is faster than BOD analysis: used for quick assessment of
wastewater strength and treatment performance

§It does not distinguish between biodegradable and non-biodegradable

organic matter. As a result COD's are always higher than BOD's.
The following formula is used to calculate COD:

COD(mg/l as O2) =

where B is the volume of FAS used in the blank sample,

S is the volume of FAS in the original sample, and
M is the molarity of FAS
8000 = milli equivalent weight of oxygen (8) ×1000 mL/L.
If milliliters are used consistently for volume measurements, the result of the COD calculation
is given in mg/L.
THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 26
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
•Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) testing is used to
determine the relative oxygen requirements of wastewaters,
effluents, and polluted waters.
•BOD is the traditional, most widely used test to establish
concentration of organic matter in wastewater samples (i.e.,
relative strength).

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 27
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)

•BOD is based on the principle that if sufficient oxygen is

available, aerobic biological decomposition (i.e., stabilization
of organic waste) by microorganisms will continue until all
waste is consumed.
•The BOD test is also known as "BOD5" since it is based on
the accurate measure of DO (dissolved oxygen) at the
beginning and end of a five-day period in which the sample is
held in dark, incubated conditions (i.e., 20°C or 68°F).

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 28
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Conti…

•The change in DO concentration over five days represents the

"oxygen demand" for respiration by the aerobic biological
microorganisms in the sample.
•The five-day completion window is an inherent disadvantage
of the test because wastewater treatment system personnel
cannot use it to make real-time operational adjustments.
•An extended UBOD (ultimate BOD) test that measures oxygen
consumption after 60 days or more is sometimes required in
wastewater permits.

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 29
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Aggregate organics
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
• BOD is not a measure of any specific pollutant
• A measure of amount of oxygen required by microorganisms
engaged in stabilizing decomposable organic matter
• Important factors of variations
- Temperature; Time; Light
• BOD measurements – BOD5 & BOD3
• BOD5 – BOD test carried out in an BOD incubator at 20
deg.C for 5 days
• Why 5 day BOD ?
Oxidation of biochemical oxygen demanding substances is an
exponential decay curve. Decay constant is usually that most of
these substances are oxidized (85%) in the first 5 days

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 30
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Aggregate organics
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
Exponential decay curve

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 31
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
• Briefly, the BOD test employs a bacterial seed to catalyze the
oxidation of 300 mL of full-strength or diluted wastewater.
• The initial sample is titrated with N/40 Sodium Thiosulfate using
starch as indicator.
• Another bottle kept at 20⁰ C for 5 days.
• After 5 days again titrate the sample.
• The strength of waste water is determined by taking difference
between the initial DO and final DO and then multiply by dilution
factor. BOD = (DO – DO ) *D
t i f
Where
BODt = biochemical oxygen demand at t days, [mg/L]
DOi = initial dissolved oxygen in the sample bottle, [mg/L]
DOf = final dissolved oxygen in the sample bottle, [mg/L]
D = Dilution Factor
D = Vb/Vs
Vb = sample bottle volume, usually 300 mL
Vs = sample volume, [mL]
THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 32
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Dilution Factor

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 33
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Method for the measuring of BOD

BODt = UBOD (1-e-kt)

BODt = BOD after t days (mg/l)

UBOD = Ultimate BOD (mg/l)
k = BOD rate constant at particular temperature (day-1)
t = Time in days

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 34
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Aggregate organics

BOD and COD relationship

COD values are higher than BOD values in nearly all cases,
because COD includes both degradable and non-biodegradable
substances whereas BOD contains only bio-degrabable

Greater BOD to COD ratio – higher the efficiency of

organic treatment by biological methods

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 35
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Physical Parameters

Solids
Residue remaining after wastewater sample has been
Total Solids
evaporated and dried at a specific temperature (103 – 105
(TS)
deg. C)

Total Volatile
Burn off solids when TS is ignited to 500 deg.C
solids (TVS)

Total Fixed
Left out solids after ignition of TS
solids (TFS)
Total
Portion of TS retained in filter of 2mm and measured after
suspended
drying the filter paper at 105 deg.C
solids (TSS)
Total
Solids that passed through 2mm which comprises of colloidal
dissolved
and dissolved solids
solids (TDS)

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 36
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Physical Parameters

Solids
Volatile suspended
Burn off solids when TSS is ignited to 500 deg.C
solids (VSS)

Fixed suspended
Residue after TSS ignition
solids (FSS)

Total volatile
dissolved solids Solids that burn off when TDS is ignited to 500 deg.C
(TVDS)

Fixed dissolved solids

The residue of the TVDS
(FDS)

Settle able solids Suspended solids that settle over time

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 37
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Physical Parameters

Turbidity

• Measure of light transmitting properties of water

• Measurement is based on comparison of intensity of light
scattered by sample vs that of standard (formazin solution)
• Analytical Techniques – Nephelometry
• Units – Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU)

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 38
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Conti…
Colour
• Measured by Spectrophotometer
• Units – Platinum Cobalt Units (PTU)
Temperature
• An important parameter as it affects the chemical and
biochemical reactions and the rates of these reactions
Electrical Conductivity
• A measure of the ability of solution to conduct electric
current
• EC is surrogate measure of TDS [TDS mg/L = EC x 0.55 to
0.70]
• Units - MilliSiemens/ meter
THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 39
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Physico-chemical characteristics

Ø Aggregate organics
Ø Physical
Ø Chemical
- Alkalinity
- Nitrogen
- Phosphorous
- Sulphur
- Metallic constituents

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 40
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Conti…

Alkalinity
• Hydroxides, carbonates and bicarbonates
• Common – Ca & Mg bicarbonates
• Importance – Biological treatment
Nitrogen
• Importance – Nutrient
• Forms – NH3, NH4+, NO2- and NO3- & Org. N
• Measurements – Amm. N., Inorg. N., Kjeldahl N.,
Org. N

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 41
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Physico-chemical characteristics

Phosphorous
Aqueous forms – Orthophosphates, polyphosphate &
organic phosphates
Importance as nutrient
Sulphur
Aqueous form – sulphate
Reduced to sulphide and further to hydrogen sulfide
Formation of sulphuric acid and pipe corrosion
Metallic constituents
Priority pollutants – Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Mn, Hg, Ni & Zn
Micronutrients / Toxicants
Measurable forms – dissolved, suspended, acid extractable

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 42
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Wastewater Treatment

Primary – Removes Solids

Physical Operations – Screening , Sedimentation

Secondary – Removes Organics

Biological and Chemical Operations

Tertiary – Removes Nutrients

Biological and Chemical Operations

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 43
Environment (SEE) Environment
Typical Unit Operations of a Wastewater treatment plant

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 44
Environment (SEE) Environment
Primary and Secondary Sewage Treatment (using Suspended Growth process)

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 45
Environment (SEE) Environment
Primary and Secondary Sewage Treatment (using Attached Growth process)

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 46
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Screen
• First unit operation
• Objective
-Removal of coarse and fine objects, which may get entangled
in mechanical equipment e.g., grit chambers, sedimentation
tanks, etc.
-Protection of pump impellers.
-Used to remove Rocks, leaves, paper, plastic rags and other
materials
• Coarse Screens: provide a bar screen with relatively large openings of 25 mm.

• Medium Screens: Clear openings of 12 mm.

• Fine Screens: Clear openings of 5 mm

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 47
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Grit removal

• Grit removal is necessary to protect the moving

mechanical equipment and pump elements
• Grit removal is the process used to remove sand, silt and grit
from water.
• Removal of grit also reduces the frequency of cleaning of
digesters and settling tanks.
• The specific gravity of the grit is usually 2.4 to 2.65

Grit chambers are of three major types as follows:

i) Vortex Type Units
ii) Aerated Grit Chambers
iii) Square shaped chambers with entry and exit on opposite
sides
THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 48
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Conti…

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 49
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Primary clarification/sedimentation

• Separate the suspended solids, which can settle by gravity

• It used to remove Organic, residual inorganic solids and
Chemical flocs produced during chemical coagulation and
flocculation
• The velocity of the flow can be reduced by increasing the
length of travel and by detaining the particles for longer time
in the sedimentation tank
• The size of the particles can be altered by adding some
chemicals
• In plain sedimentation tank 60-65% of suspended solids and
30-35% of the BOD removal can be achieved

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 50
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Sludge removal – circular clarifier
• Scraper

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 51
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Fundamentals of biological treatment
• Most of the enzymatic reactions involve redox reactions i.e.,
addition/removal of oxygen/hydrogen
• The electron acceptor is based on surrounding medium and
cellular characteristics
-In anaerobic reactions – an oxidized compound is
electron acceptor
-In aerobic reactions – oxygen is acceptor
• Environmental factors influence microbial growth
Temperature
§ Psychrophilic – (-10 to 30 deg.C) opt. 12–18 0C
§ Mesophilic – (20 to 50 deg.C) opt. 25-40 0C
§ Thermophilic – (35 to 75 deg.C) opt. 55-65 0C
§ Facultative

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 52
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Activated sludge processes (ASPs)
• ASP is an aerobic, continuous flow, treatment system that
uses sludge with active populations of microorganisms to
breakdown organic matter in wastewater
• Activated sludge is a flocculated mass of microbes
• The organic load (generally coming from primary treatment
operations such as settling, screening or flotation) enters the
reactor where the active microbial population (activated
sludge) is present.
• The reactor is continuously aerated.
• The mixture then passes to a secondary settling tank where
the cells are settled.
• The cells are recycled in order to maintain sufficient biomass
to degrade the organic load as quickly as possible

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 53
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Activated Sludge Process

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 54
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Aeration Tank Loading Criteria

1. Hydraulic Retention Time: The hydraulic retention time or

HRT is the amount of time in hours for wastewater to pass
through a tank, such as an aeration tank. Changes in the
HRT of an activated sludge process can affect biological
activity. For example, decreasing HRT adversely affects
nitrification, while increasing HRT favors nitrification and
the solubilization of colloidal BOD and particulate BOD.

!
HRT (Hours)= &24
"#$%%%

V=Volume of aeration tank ()*);

Q= Sewage inflow into aeration tank, )*/d

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 55
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Conti…

2. Volumetric BOD5 Loading: Another empirical loading

perimeter is volumetric loading which is defined as the BOD5
load applied per unit volume of aeration tank, expressed as under,

$%&'
Volumetric load (kg BOD5 /!")= (

Where, )* is influent BOD5 to aeration tank (mg/L)

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 56
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Conti…

3. Organic loading based on F/M ratio: It is an important

organic loading criterion in which BOD loading (representing
food F to the M micro-organisms) is expressed with regard to
microbial mass M (represented by MLSS in the aeration tank).
The organic loading rate is defined as the ration of Kg BOD5
applied per day (representing micro-organisms) expressed as:

!"#$
F/M= %
&'''
()

where, *+ is mixed liquor

Suspended solid (MLSS)mg/L
Where, ,- is influent BOD5 to aeration tank (mg/L)

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 57
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Conti…
4. Sludge age: solids retention time (SRT): Another perimeter that
could be used for checking the design for sludge activation system is the
solid retention time, also known as mean cell residence time (MCRT) or
sludge age (θ" ) defined as as the average time for which particles of
suspended solids remains under aeration and given by the expression:

%.'(
θ" =
)*. '+ , )-). '/

where 01 = 2344
56 = 789:;< 8= >?@A<B @9:BC< D<E B?F
XR= G8HG<HAE?AI8H 8= @89IB@ IH Aℎ< E<A:EH<B
@9:BC< 8E IH >?@A<B @9:BC< (;C/3)
Q= sewage inflow per day
XE =Concentration of solid in the effluent in (mg/L)
THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 58
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Trickling filters
•A trickling filter (TF) is a aerobic attached growth type
wastewater treatment system that biodegrades organic matter
and can also be used to achieve nitrification.

•The wastewater trickles through a circular bed of coarse stones

or plastic material. A rotating distributor (a rotating pipe with
several holes across it) evenly distributes the wastewater from
above the bed.

•The microorganisms in the wastewater attach themselves to

the bed (also known as the filter media), which is covered with
bacteria.

•The bacteria break down the organic waste and remove

pollutants from the wastewater.
THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 59
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Trickling Filter

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 60
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Trickling filters

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 61
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Anaerobic fluidized bed process

•A combination of suspended growth and attached growth process

•Anaerobic microbes grow on the surface of the medium, expanding the
apparent volume of the medium; hence this reactor is also designated an
"expanded bed reactor"

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 62
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Disinfection

Partial destruction of disease causing (pathogenic) organisms

• Characteristics of an ideal disinfectant
• Availability
• Deodorizing ability
• Homogeneity
• Extraneous material interaction
• Non-corrosive and non-staining
• Toxic to microbes
• Penetration
• Solubility and stability

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 63
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Disinfection methods

Chemical Physical Mechanical Radiation

Halogens (Cl) Heating Chemical Gamma rad.&

Ozone Solar insolation precipitators and Cobalt-60 rad.
biofilters
Phenolics
Alcohols
Metals
Detergents, etc.

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 64
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Disinfectant action
• Damage to cell wall and disturbance in cell permeability
– phenolics and detergents
• Damage to protoplasm and cell molecules – Radiation
• Molecular alterations and Inhibition of enzyme activity
– Chlorine and other halogens
• Factors that influence action
• Contact time
• Concentration (chemical)
• Intensity/nature (physical)
• Temperature
• Organisms
• Nature of w/w

THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 65
Environment (SEE) Environment
 Reference books

• Environmental Engineering (vol II); Sewage disposal and air

pollution engineering. Santosh Kumar Garg. Khanna
Publications

• Environmental Engineering by Howard S. Peavy, Donald R.

Rowe and Deorge Techobanoglous. McGraw Hill Education
(India) Private Limited.

• Introduction to Environmental Engineering and Science by

Gilbert M. Masters and Wendell P. Ela. Pearson India
Education Service Pvt. Ltd
THAPAR INSTITUTE
OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
School of Energy & UEN002: Energy and 66
Environment (SEE) Environment
Thank You