ROLE OF NEW TECHNIQUES IN WASTEWATER ANALYSIS
Jack R. Hall, Manager, Analytical Services
J. Richard Florance, Analytical Chemist
Robert D. Fox, Manager, Technology Development
Hydroscience Environmental Systems
Knoxville, Tennessee 37919
INTRODUCTION
The need for the classical methods of wastewater analysis (see Table I) including BOD,
COD, phosphate and the nitrogen series will continue, but the increased emphasis on recycling, chemical recovery and source control has shown the need for and the advantages
of specific compound analysis.   The chemical process industry has long utilized raw material recycling along with product and by-product recovery to reduce plant effluent
loads, but these techniques now are being applied more often to other industries.   Another effective method of reducing the total plant waste load is source control.
Table I.  "Classical" Methods
Biochemical Oxygen Demand Total Phosphate
Chemical Oxygen Demand Total Organic Carbon
Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen Total Oxygen Demand
Source control is more than tracing the pollutant back to the discharging facility and
treating it there in an undiluted form.   It includes going back into the production process and reviewing the unit operations, optimizing the process, incorporating recycle and/
or chemical recovery, investigating and incorporating any process chemistry changes and
then implementing methods of treatment prior to discharge.   These source control and
chemical recovery projects are best carried out by a team composed of engineers and
analytical chemists using the latest in sophisticated sampling and analytical techniques to
characterize the process wastewater.   The analytical chemist is a full participant in this
team approach, not merely the analyzer in the laboratory to whom samples are brought
for blindly-run analyses.   This vigorous characterization effort is necessary to provide the
following:   (a) data on the product and raw material losses to the wastewater during unit
operations; (b) information on the presence of "unknowns" and/or toxic components in
the waste stream; (c) variability of the compounds in the wastewater; and (d) accountability of the BOD and/or TOC.   This information will then be utilized by the engineer
to develop a complete material balance on the process and provide the information necessary to implement source control and evaluate methods of chemical recovery.
TEAM APPROACH
The team approach requires early involvement of the engineer and analytical chemist
to outline the program.   The chemist works with the engineer following these steps:
1. Review chemistry, unit operations and previous data on the process and waste
streams.   In this step other disciplines and specialists should be involved, such as organic
chemists and process specialists as may be required.   All parties should be working closely with the production people.
2. Decide on analyses required and sampling points.   Caution!   Don't analyze everything for everything.   Realize, however, the cost of adding another sample point or analysis to the total cost of the program.
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