Removal of Non-Ionic Surfactants in an Activated Sludge Sewage Treatment Plant

Daniel Kopiec; Robert Rydlichowski; Joanna Zembrzuska; Irena Budnik; Zenon Lukaszewski

doi:10.3139/113.110328

Published by De Gruyter September 25, 2014

Removal of Non-Ionic Surfactants in an Activated Sludge Sewage Treatment Plant

Entfernung von nichtionischen Tensiden aus einer Belebtschammkläranlage

Daniel Kopiec , Robert Rydlichowski , Joanna Zembrzuska , Irena Budnik and Zenon Lukaszewski

From the journal Tenside Surfactants Detergents

https://doi.org/10.3139/113.110328

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Abstract

Non-ionic surfactants (NS) are a major source of synthetic organic carbon discharged into surface water. The aim of this work was the investigation of the influence of different factors on NS removal in an activated sludge sewage treatment plant (STP). Tensammetric analytical tools were used for fast and inexpensive NS determination. The STP in Blonie (Poland) was the subject of research. The STP's reconstruction caused a spectacular lowering of NS concentration in the treated sewage; however, in subsequent years, NS concentration significantly rose, due to a dramatic increase in the NS load. The NS load reduction in the reconstructed STP was relatively high (93.4–97.9%). The presence of exclusively alcohol ethoxylates was confirmed in the raw sewage. The residual NS concentration in treated sewage is dependent on the hydraulic retention time, the NS load and on the sludge volume index.

Kurzfassung

Nichtionische Tenside (NS) sind die Hauptquelle von synthetischem organischen Kohlenstoff, der in das Oberflächengewässer gelangt. Ziel dieser Arbeit war, den Einfluss verschiedener Faktoren auf die Entfernung von NS in einer Belebtschammkläranlage zu untersuchen (STP). Analytische tensametrische Methoden wurden für die schnelle und preiswerte NS-Bestimmung eingesetzt. Die Kläranlage in Blonie (Polen) war der Ort der Untersuchung. Der Umbau der STP bewirkte eine eindrucksvolle Verringerung der NS-Konzentration im geklärten Abwasser. In den folgenden Jahren jedoch stieg die NS-Konzentration aufgrund der dramatischen Zunahme der NS-Beladung signifikant an. Die Reduktion der NS-Beladung in der umgebauten STP war relativ hoch (93.4–97.9%). Die Anwesenheit von ausschließlich Alkoholethoxilaten im unbehandelten Abwasser wurde bestätigt. Die übrig bleibende NS-Konzentration im behandelten Abwasser hängt von der hydraulischen Retentionszeit, der NS-Beladung und dem Abwasservolumenindex ab.

Key words: Non-ionic surfactants; waste water treatment plant; indirect tensammetric technique; PTFE capillary trap; LC-MS

Stichwörter: Nichtionische Tenside; Wasserkläranlage; indirekte Tensammetrie; PTFE-Kapillarfalle; LC-MS

* Correspondence address Prof. Dr. Zenon Lukaszewski, Poznan University of Technology, Chemical Technology Faculty, pl Sklodowskiej-Curie 5, 60-965 Poznan, Poland. Tel.: (48)691402786, E-Mail: zenon.lukaszewski@plusnet.pl

Daniel Kopiec graduated from Poznan University of Technology in 2001. He is technical director at the Municipal Water Supply and Sewerage Company in Błonie, Poland.

Robert Rydlichowski graduated from Poznan University of Technology in 2002. Since then he has been working as a technical assistant at the Poznan University of Technology.

Joanna Zembrzuska graduated from Poznan University of Technology in 1999 and she finished her PhD on 2003 there. Since then she has been working as an assistant professors at the Poznan University of Technology. Her research interests include determination of surfactant and pharmaceutical residues in environmental by LC-MS/MS and selenium speciation.

Irena Budnik graduated from Poznan University of Technology in 2010. Since then she has been working as a PhD student there. Her research interests include biodegradation and determination of surfactants in the environment by LC-MS/MS.

Zenon Łukaszewski graduated from Moscow Institute of Chemical Technology in 1963. He obtained his PhD in Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan in 1969. In 1978 he received DSc degree (habilitation) from Łódz University of Technology and the title of chemistry professor from the President of Republic of Poland in 1988. He has been working at Poznan University of Technology. His research interests include the determination of non-ionic surfactants and their fate in the environment, as well as thallium in the environment.

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Received: 2014-01-12

Revised: 2014-06-23

Published Online: 2014-09-25

Published in Print: 2014-09-15

Removal of Non-Ionic Surfactants in an Activated Sludge Sewage Treatment Plant

Abstract

Kurzfassung

References

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