Wastewater contains a variety of contaminants and can be characterized physically, chemically, and biologically. Physical characteristics include temperature, odor, turbidity, and total solids. Chemical characteristics include pH, biochemical oxygen demand, nitrogen, phosphorus, and heavy metals. Biological characteristics involve microbial populations such as bacteria, viruses, and algae. Thermal pollution occurs when hot water is discharged into rivers, reducing oxygen levels and impacting aquatic life. Oil pollution stems from sources like oil transportation, exploration, runoff, and accidents, degrading water quality and harming ecosystems. Control methods include barriers, dispersants, absorbents, and microbes that break down oil.
Wastewater contains a variety of contaminants and can be characterized physically, chemically, and biologically. Physical characteristics include temperature, odor, turbidity, and total solids. Chemical characteristics include pH, biochemical oxygen demand, nitrogen, phosphorus, and heavy metals. Biological characteristics involve microbial populations such as bacteria, viruses, and algae. Thermal pollution occurs when hot water is discharged into rivers, reducing oxygen levels and impacting aquatic life. Oil pollution stems from sources like oil transportation, exploration, runoff, and accidents, degrading water quality and harming ecosystems. Control methods include barriers, dispersants, absorbents, and microbes that break down oil.
Wastewater contains a variety of contaminants and can be characterized physically, chemically, and biologically. Physical characteristics include temperature, odor, turbidity, and total solids. Chemical characteristics include pH, biochemical oxygen demand, nitrogen, phosphorus, and heavy metals. Biological characteristics involve microbial populations such as bacteria, viruses, and algae. Thermal pollution occurs when hot water is discharged into rivers, reducing oxygen levels and impacting aquatic life. Oil pollution stems from sources like oil transportation, exploration, runoff, and accidents, degrading water quality and harming ecosystems. Control methods include barriers, dispersants, absorbents, and microbes that break down oil.
Wastewater contains a variety of contaminants and can be characterized physically, chemically, and biologically. Physical characteristics include temperature, odor, turbidity, and total solids. Chemical characteristics include pH, biochemical oxygen demand, nitrogen, phosphorus, and heavy metals. Biological characteristics involve microbial populations such as bacteria, viruses, and algae. Thermal pollution occurs when hot water is discharged into rivers, reducing oxygen levels and impacting aquatic life. Oil pollution stems from sources like oil transportation, exploration, runoff, and accidents, degrading water quality and harming ecosystems. Control methods include barriers, dispersants, absorbents, and microbes that break down oil.
Measures Unit 2 - Water Act and its Control Contents • Physical, chemical and biological characteristics of wastewater. • Introduction to Thermal pollution and Oil pollution: • Sources • Consequences • Control. Wastewater • Any water that has been negatively affected in quality by human.
• Comprised of liquid and solid waste that is discharged from domestic
residences, commercial properties, industrial plants and agricultural facilities.
• Contains wide range of contaminants at various concentrations
Characteristics of wastewater Physical Characteristics Chemical Characteristics Biological Characteristics • Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) • Turbidity • Biological Oxygen • Total Organic Carbon (TOC) Demand (BOD) • Color • Nitrogen • Nitrogenous Oxygen • Odor Demand (NOD) • Phosphorus • Total Solids • Microbial population • Chloride • Temperature include bacteria, virus, • Sulfate fungi, protozoa, Algae, • Alkalinity Rotifers, Nematodes • pH • Oil and Grease • Heavy metals • Trace elements • Priority pollutants Physical Characteristics of wastewater • Color • indicates freshness of wastewater • greyish brown to yellowish - fresh sewage- putrefaction starts when the color changes to black and stale • Detected by naked eye. • Odor • odor is due to depletion of oxygen from the sewage water • Hydrogen sulphide is a gas which is responsible for undesirable odor due to decomposition of sewage by anaerobic bacteria • Temperature • affects biological activity of bacteria and solubility of gases and also the viscosity • Turbidity • depends on quantity of solid matter present in suspension state • determined by turbidimeters Chemical Characteristics • Indicates stage of sewage decomposition, its strength, extend and type of treatment required for making it safe the chemical characteristics of sewage • pH - logarithm of reciprocal of hydrogen ion concentration present in sewage. - indication of acidity (less than 7) or alkalinity (more than 7) of the sample • Acidity - products produced by bacteria in the sewage water • Alkalinity - process of wastewater treatment increases alkalinity • Measured with the help of potentiometer (pH meter) Chemical Characteristics • Composition - 99.9% water and 0.1 % Total Solid (suspended Solids, dissolved solids, colloidal solids, settleable solids) - organic (45% - Minerals, salt, sand, gravel, dissolved salts, chlorides, sulphates) and inorganic (55% - Carbohydrates, Fats and oils and nitrogenous compounds) in nature. • Suspended Solids - solids that are floating in sewage • Dissolved Solids - remain dissolved in sewage • Colloidal Solids - finely divided solids remaining either in solution or in suspension. • Settleable Solids - solids that settles out, if the sewage is allowed to remain undisturbed for a period. Components in wastewater Toxic • Copper, lead, arsenic, silver, chromium, phenols, boron, cyanide - affects metabolism of microorganisms Sulphites, Sulphates and Hydrogen Sulfide gas • Produced due to decomposition of sulfur compounds from sewage bu aerobic and facultative bacteria • H2S gas produced by anaerobic bacteria - bad odor, corrosion of concrete sewer pipeline Thermal Pollution • Discharge of hot water into river is called thermal pollution • Sources: • Water used in heat exchangers • Power plants - water heated to form steam which helps to run turbines, steam cooled down with the help of river water which is 15 ℃ hotter than normal water. • Consequences: • Reduced oxygen solubility • Increases metabolism of aquatic species • Changes flora and fauna diversity • Control Measures • Heated water - send to cooling tower (Through evaporation) or cooling pond after it leaves the condenser. • Reuse of water as cooling water in the industrial activities Oil Pollution • Observed in marine ecosystem • Source • Leftover oil from barrels in which oil is transported, • Offshore oil exploration and extraction • Accidental leak of oil from drilling location • Runoff from streets • Dry docking • Improper discharge of lubricating oil from machines • Oil leak from ship accidents. • Consequences • Reduction of dissolved oxygen in the ocean water • Increased organic composition of water • Prolonged fire incase of ignition Oil Pollution • Control Measures • Bund as physical barrier to reduce spreading of oil • Emulsification by means of chemical dispersants • Oil absorbents • Microbes of oil digestion
• Apart from oil pollution in water bodies, oil pollution on land also contribute to major environmental pollution where disposal of oil contaminated objects are difficult because of its hazardous nature.
