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Fate of surfactants in activated sludge wastewater treatment plants: A model verification study

Conference ·
OSTI ID:242307
The European Chemical Industry has commissioned a joint industry Task Force of the Association International de la Savonnerie et la Detergence (AIS) and the Comite Europeen de Agents de Surface et Intermediares Organiques (CESIO) to develop and apply specific methodology for the environmental monitoring of surfactants. The objectives of the TF was (1) to establish the fate, distribution and concentrations of major surfactants in relevant environmental compartments and (2) to provide the necessary data for checking the applicability of mathematical models to predict their fate and concentrations in these environmental compartments. This presentation will focus on the results of this AIS/CESIO surfactant, monitoring program and how the measured removals, effluent concentrations, and sludge concentrations compare to predicted levels for different wastewater treatment plants across Europe. Mathematical models that predict the fate of chemicals in Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPS) are used as an integral part of risk assessment process in many countries. In this paper, the predictive power of two mathematical models, SIMPLETREAT and WWTREAT, is checked against linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) fate data collected at five WWTPs located across Europe. Magnitudes and time-scales of the variability in WWTP streams were identified using statistical methods. In addition, the performance of these models is also checked against measured removal and effluent data for alcohol ethoxylates and alcohol ethoxysulfates.
OSTI ID:
242307
Report Number(s):
CONF-9511137--; ISBN 1-880611-03-1
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English