Characterization of Industrial Wastes by
Instrumental Analysis
H. A. CLARKE, Assistant Director
Division of Industrial Wastes
Ontario Water Resources Commission
Toronto, Canada
INTRODUCTION
The material for this paper was gathered from an association with the OWRC
Laboratories in Toronto. This building was opened in 1960 and provides approximately 30,000 sq ft of working laboratory space which is to be doubled in the near
future. Over 100 persons, including bacteriologists, biologists, chemists, engineers and other disciplines, are active in the technical appraisal and related research of samples pertaining to the aquatic environment. In excess of $150,000
of instrumentation of many types are available for chemical analysis. In 1967,
approximately 442,000 chemical determinations were performed on slightly over
57,700 water samples.
This will describe briefly some of the work functions ofthe chemistry laboratory with special emphasis on the application of instrumental analysis to the
characterization of industrial wastes. The instrumentation is described, some
basic principles and general methods outlined briefly and a few actual problems
discussed. Polarography and atomic absorption spectrophotometry are reviewed as
techniques for the analysis of metals. The use of ultraviolet and infrared spectrophotometry is illustrated by a number of examples in the identification of or-
ganics, mainly of petroleum hydrocarbons. Chromatographic methods such as gas
and thin layer are outlined with special mention made of pesticide residue analysis. Finally, the application of some of the above instrumentation to carbon adsorption studies is shown.
The nature of this paper is broad in scope and is not meant to probe the subject in great detail. It is intended to show that the analysis of industrial wastes
is a complex matter requiring sophisticated instrumentation for achieving best results.
INDUSTRIAL WASTES ANALYSES
Specific identifications of the wide variety of pollutants to be found in industrial wastes are performed in the Laboratory along with general parameters such
as BOD, COD and solids. Attempts are made to determine the soluble organics
such as proteins and sugars which contribute to BOD values and the nature of suspended solids such as metal hydroxide floes and clays. The work of the Laboratory is divided into inorganic and organic analyses.
Inorganic analysis deals primarily with the determination of metals such as
zinc, chromium and copper, and anions such as cyanide, arsenic and sulphide.
Detailed analysis of sludges, sediments and other solid deposits are also carried
out on request.   Organic analysis is divided into four fields of work:
1.   Specific organic determinations such as phenolic compounds, ether solu-
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