SYNDET POLLUTION AND ITS ABATEMENT

Abstract

Modern technology constantly produces new compounds which make their way into waste waters. Increased use of synthetic detergents (syndets^ has attracted the attention of environmentalist as an important aqueous pollutant. Since world war II the syndets have been blamed for many waste treatment and river pollution problems, due to production of voluminous foam, reduction in rate of oxygen ation and persistance in waste effluents. Added to this is the fact that syndets are mostly nonbiodegradable and thus can not be removed during conventional biological treatment processes. The appearence of syndets in secondary effluents made further treatment necessary. Activated carbon has been used as an adsorbent but its high cost lead to the search for other efficient and economi cally viable adsorbents. In the present investigation wood charcoal and bitumenous coal have been used as adsorbents. Teepol an anionic syndet has been used as adsorbate. Comparative bench scale adsorption studies have been done to work out the kinetics of adsorption. Effect of other environmental parameters have been evaluated. Based on bench scale studies an adsorbent (wood char coal) has been selected for continuous column studies. The effect of flow rate, initial feed concentration and depth of the bed has been observed. Runs have been done with domestic sewage (treated and untreated). The results are summarized so as to make them directly applicable to design a adsorp tion unit.