Removal of Heavy Metals in Publicly Owned Treatment Works

• Studies were conducted at three activated sludge treatment plants during normal operation. The heavy metals were measured in the influent to each plant, the primary sedimentation effluent where applicable, the discharge after activated sludge treatment and secondary sedimentation, and in one case after a final polishing filter. Both the soluble and the total portions were measured. Beryllium, nickel, and thallium were not found in detectable levels in any of the plant influents. Mercury was found in only trace amounts. The removals of the other metals varied considerably. No consistent conclusions can be made from the data; each metal, soluble or total fraction, and unit treatment operation must be interpreted individually. The only metal in the plant effluents consistently above the recommended limit was arsenic, and this barely above the limit, and the lead content from Fitchburg, despite 83% removal.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Materialteknik -- Annan materialteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Materials Engineering -- Other Materials Engineering (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Hazardous materials - Chemical Analysis

Heavy metals compounds - Removal

sedimentation

anaerobic digester supernatant

mechanical aeration activated sludge

primary sedimentation effluent

publicly owned treatment works (potw)

trickling filter

sewage treatment

Manufacturing and materials engineering

Produktions- och materialteknik

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)