School of Energy & Environment (SEE)

Water Pollution

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 Water Cycle

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 Water Pollution

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 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.

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 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

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 Sources of water pollution

 Point – single large sources

 Non-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

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Point and non point sources of water
pollution

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Major Water Pollutants and Their Sources

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Contaminants affecting water bodies
 Biodegradable organic matter
 Suspended, colloidal and dissolved solids
 Nutrients
 Pathogens
 Acidic, basic and ionic species
 Soaps and detergents
 Pesticides
 Colour and odour causing substances
 Volatile organics
 Recalcitrant and refractory organics
 Thermal / Radioactive material

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 Categories
 Fund pollutants : Fund pollutants are those for which the environment has some
absorptive capacity
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
 Stock pollutants : Pollutants that the environment has little or no absorptive capacity
is called stock pollutants
Minerals and inorganic/organic chemicals that cannot be
removed by natural processes (lead, cadmium, mercury, some
agrochemicals, persistent synthetic chemicals, non-biodegradable
plastics, and INSTITUTE
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Nature and Characteristics of
Wastewater

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 Dissolved Oxygen (DO)

 Important measure of water quality

 Oxygen is marginally soluble in water & inversely proportional to

temperature

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

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

in an aqueous solution

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

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

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

is put under stress.

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 Water Quality
Dissolved Oxygen

Good 8–9

Slightly 6.7–8
polluted

Moderately
4.5–6.7
polluted

Heavily
4–4.5
polluted

Gravely Below 4
polluted

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 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

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 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
= 1067 mg/l

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Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)
• Measures pollution potential of organic matter
organic matter + oxidant ⇒ CO2 + H2O
• Does not differentiate between biologically degradable &
non-biodegradable organic matter so COD value of samples
are always higher than BOD's.
• Chemical oxygen demand (COD) is defined as the amount
of a specified oxidant that reacts with the sample under
controlled conditions.
• Potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7) is used as an oxygen
source to oxidize the organic carbon present in the sample
• Expressed in equivalent amount of oxygen.

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 Aggregate organics
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 h at 150°C

Sample is titrated with Ferrous Ammonium Sulphate(FAS) by using ferroin

indicator.
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 givenTHAPAR
in mg/L.INSTITUTE
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 Numerical on COD

Problem1 The waste water of the industry is polluted with organic

matter. The COD was estimated by diluting sample 100 times.
Calculated COD by using following data:
The 0.1 N ferrous ammonium sulfate consumed is
(i) 5ml for blank sample
(ii) 3.5ml for test sample
(iii) 10ml sample was used for estimation
Solution: The formula of COD is

COD = (Blank-Test)*0.1*8*1000*100
Volume of sample

COD(mg/l)= (5-3.5)*0.1*8*1000*100
10

COD = 12000mg/l

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 Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
•BOD is the traditional, most widely used test to establish
concentration of organic matter in wastewater samples (i.e., relative
strength).
•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 organic matter 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).
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 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
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 Aggregate organics
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
Exponential decay curve

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 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]
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 Dilution Factor

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 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

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 Numerical on BOD
Problem 4
The BOD5 of the wastewater is detemined to be 150 mg/l at 20 ℃. The k value is known to be 0.23 per day.
What would be BOD8 if the test were run at 15 ℃?
b) Correct the k value for 150C

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 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

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 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.

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 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 2micro-m and measured
suspended
after drying the filter paper at 105 deg.C
solids (TSS)
Total
Solids that passed through 2micro-m which comprises of
dissolved
colloidal and dissolved solids
solids (TDS)

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 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
The residue of the TVDS
solids (FDS)

Settle able solids Suspended solids that settle over time

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 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)

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 Conti…
Colour
•Measured by Spectrophotometer
•Units – Platinum Cobalt Units (PCU)
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

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 Physico-chemical characteristics

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

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 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
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 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

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 Wastewater Treatment

Primary – Removes Solids

Physical Operations – Screening , Sedimentation

Secondary – Removes Organics

Biological and Chemical Operations

Tertiary – Removes Nutrients

Biological and Chemical Operations

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Typical Unit Operations of a Wastewater treatment plant

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Primary and Secondary Sewage Treatment (using Suspended Growth process)

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 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

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 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

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 Sludge removal – circular clarifier
•Scraper

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 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
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 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

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 Activated Sludge Process

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 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.
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 Trickling Filter

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 Trickling filters

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 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"

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 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

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 Disinfection methods

Chemical Physical Mechanical Radiation

Halogens (Cl) Heating Chemical Gamma rad.&

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

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 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

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 Thank you
Thank You