SORSOGON STATE COLLEGE | AS 211 – CHEMISTRY FOR TECHNOLOGISTS MODULE 2

TREATMENT & DISPOSAL OF

SEWAGE & INDUSTRIAL
WASTEWATER

1. PRELIMINARY TREATMENT
The removal of coarse solid and other large materials often found
in raw waste water. Preliminary treatment operations typically
include coarse screening, grit removal, and some cases
comminution (breaking down into smaller fragments) of large
object.

SCREENING
Large solid particles (plastics, rags, toilet paper residues) are
removed first by mechanical screens. Traditionally, screening
was used only to large solid material in order to protect
downstream operations.

GRIT REMOVAL
Wastewater Treatment Processes
A fine matter (grit sand) originating mainly from road runoff, is https://www.britannica.com/technology/wastewater-
treatment/Primary-treatment
allowed to deposit in long channels or circular traps. The
retained solids are removed and usually sent to landfill for
disposal.

2. PRIMARY TREATMENT
The removal of settleable organic and inorganic solid by
sedimentation and the removal of materials that will float (scum)
by skimming. Some organic nitrogen, organic phosphorus, and
heavy metals associated with solids are also removed during
primary sedimentation but colloidal and dissolved constituents are
not affected. The effluent from primary sedimentation units is
referred to as primary effluent.

3. SECONDARY TREATMENT
Also called Biological Treatment, this treatment’s objective is to
remove the residual organics and suspended solids. Aerobic
Biological Treatment is performed in the presence of oxygen by
aerobic microorganisms (principally bacteria) that metabolize the
organic matter in the waste water, thereby producing more
microorganisms and inorganic end-products (principally CO2, NH3,
and H2O).

4. TERTIARY TREATMENT
Employed when specific wastewater constituents which cannot be
removed by secondary treatment must be removed. Individual
treatment processes are necessary to remove nitrogen,
phosphorus, additional suspended solids, refractory organics,
heavy metals, and dissolved solids.

Author | MARY ROSE BONETE-LACDANG Contributor/Editor | ALVIN ZAULDA GRULLA 4