Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Color - Fresh sewage is normally brown and yellowish in color but over time becomes
black in color.
Odor – Wastewater that includes sewage typically develops a strong odor.
Temperature - Due to more biological activity, wastewater will have a higher
temperature.
Turbidity - Due to suspended solids in wastewater, wastewater will have a higher
turbidity, or cloudiness.
Total Organic Carbon (TOC) - TOC is a measure of carbon within organic materials.
Chlorides (Cl-)
Sulfates (SO4-2)
Heavy metals
Mercury (Hg)
Arsenic (As)
Lead (Pb)
Zinc (Zn)
Cadmium (Cd)
Copper (Cu)
Nickel (Ni)
Chromium (Cr)
Silver (Ag)
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) - BOD is the amount of oxygen needed to stabilize
organic matter using microorganisms.
Nitrogenous Oxygen Demand (NOD) - NOD is the amount of oxygen needed to convert
organic and ammonia nitrogen into nitrates by nitrifying bacteria.
Microbial life in wastewater - Wastewater contains the following microbes:
Bacteria
Protozoa
Fungi
Viruses
Algae
Rotifers
Nematodes
Oil and Grease - Oil and grease originate from food waste and petroleum products. The
amount of oil and grease in raw wastewater varies from 10 to 109 mg/L.
Wastewater constituents
1. Suspended solids - can lead to development of sludge deposits and anaerobic conditions
when untreated wastewater is discharged in the aquatic environment.
4. Nutrients - Both nitrogen and phosphorus, along with carbon , are essential nutrients for
growth. When discharged to the aquatic environment, these nutrients can lead to the growth of
undesirable aquatic life. When discharged in excessive amounts on land, they can also lead to
the pollution of groundwater.
5. Heavy metals - Are usually added to wastewater from commercial and industrial activities and
may have to be removed if the wastewater is to be reused.
6. Dissolved inorganic - Inorganic constituents such as calcium, sodium, and sulphate are added
to the original domestic water supply as a result of water use and may have to be removed if
the wastewater is to be reused.
Sampling Procedures
1. A clean pair of new, non-powdered, disposable gloves will be worn each time a different
location is sampled and the gloves should be donned immediately prior to sampling. The
gloves should not come in contact with the media being sampled and should be changed
any time during sample collection when their cleanliness is compromised.
2. Sample containers for samples suspected of containing high concentrations of
contaminants shall be stored separately.
3. Sample collection activities shall proceed progressively from the least suspected
contaminated area to the most suspected contaminated area. Samples of waste or
highly contaminated media must not be placed in the same ice chest as environmental
(i.e., containing low contaminant levels) or background/control samples.
4. If possible, one member of the field sampling team should take all the notes and
photographs, fill out tags, etc., while the other members collect the samples.