Monitoring study of surfactant removal from domestic wastewater using biological wastewater treatment processes

• Main Authors: Cu, Guia Pauline U., Ronquillo, Rae Jason K., Yu, Jobelle R.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2007
• Subjects: Surface active agents; Solution (Chemistry); Chemical Engineering
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/9118
• Institution: De La Salle University

Surface active agents (surfactants), specifically the anionic surfactants, primarily comprise the formulations of soaps and detergents. Domestic wastewater typically contains these surfactants due to everyday use of kitchen and bathroom cleaning products however no alarming attention is given to their presence in discharged effluents. Surfactants, which contain nutrients as phosphates, have been previously studiede to have degradative effects on aquatic life as they are not easily degradable in the water system. Cases of eutrophication, or the blooming of flora in lakes and rivers by chemical means, have been related to the presence of surfactants conglomerating on the surface of wastewater discharges. Therefore, it is necessary to produce treated wastewaters, using biological processes such as the Manila Water (Magallanes) Activated Sludge (AS) Treatment Plant and the DLSU Manila's Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR), that are low in sufactant concentration to prevent further damage of different bodies of water and to preserve marine life. There are two phases of the study: the first entailed a 9-hour biodegradability test by aeration method using active sludge on surfactant removal, and the second focused on the monitoring study conducted in the two treatment plants cited above. The performance efficiencies of the AS and the SBR were monitored in the second phase and were appraised with reference to (i) surfactant removal, and (ii) reduction of COD, BOD, inorganic phosphates (IP) and total suspended solids (TSS) values so to obtain quality discharges that comply with national environmental regulating standards. The pH and temperatures of the samples were also monitored. The results showed, both treatment plants were capable of removing significant amounts of each parameter analyzed.