Polluting Components of Wastewater, Impact and Treatment

Wastewater is composed of different elements, some of which are harmful when discharged untreated, in
large volumes or in high concentrations and cannot be processed naturally by the environment. The
treatment process will differ according to the polluting element contained in the water.

Polluting Components of Wastewater, Impact and Treatment

ENVIRONTMENTAL
POLLUTING COMPONENT TREATMENT
IMPACT (if not treated)
PHYSICAL FRACTION

1. Coarse solids, e.g. Non-removal of coarse solids

Screening, grit removal, may cause damage to pumps,
sand, gravel and large
comminution thus impairing the treatment
materials, e.g. sticks
process.
Sedimentation tanks Increase the turbidity of the
2. Settleable solids
(septic tanks and clarifiers) receiving water body.

1. Leads to the development

of sludge deposits and
anaerobic conditions when
discharged into the receiving
environment, thus impairing
water quality.
Screening, comminution, 2. Restricts wastewater use
3. Total Solids grit removal, for agricultural irrigation or
a. Non- sedimentation filtration, aquaculture. Causes decline
SOLIDS filterable/Suspended flotation, chemical in growth and yield of most
(settleable or non- polymer addition, plants.
settleable) coagulation, natural 3. Total Suspended Solids
systems (land treatment) (TSS) increase:
• turbidity which prevents
light to pass through and
causes fish’s gills to get
plugged up
• silting which reduces
lifetime of lakes

Activated sludge, trickling

filters, sand filters, rotating
b. Filterable (colloidal or biological contactors, Impairs water quality of
dissolved) oxidation ditch, receiving water.
sequencing batch reactor,
lagoon systems

CHEMICAL FRACTIONS
 1. Fats increase biochemical
oxygen demand.
2. Fat traps trash, plants and
other materials, causing foul
odors, at trac ting f lies and
Activated sludge, trickling mosquitoes and other disease
filters, rotating biological vectors.
1. Organics
contactors, lagoon 3. Fats cause septic
a. Biodegradable
variations, intermittent conditions in ponds and
organics (protein,
sand filtration, physical- lakes by preventing oxygen
ORGANICS carbohydrates, fats)
chemical systems, natural in the atmosphere from
systems reaching the water.
4. Higher concentrations of
fats and grease can result in
poorer effluent quality thus
polluting the receiving water
body

b. Refractory organics
Carbon adsorption, tertiary
(surfactants, phenols,
ozonation, natural systems
agricultural pesticides)

Chemical precipitation,
ion exchange,
ultrafiltration, reverse
osmosis, electrodialysis.
For nitrogen: nitrification
Impairs water quality of
and denitrification,
2. Inorganics receiving water
ammonia stripping, ion
a. Dissolved inorganics 1. In certain proportions and
exchange, chlorination,
(calcium, sodium, conditions, these nutrients
NUTRIENTS natural systems For
sulfate) can give rise to harmful algal
phosphorus: metal-salt
b. Nutrients (nitrogen, blooms.
addition (alum, FeCI3 )
phosphorus) 2. Encourages the grow th of
lime
algae (eutro - phication).
coagulation/sedimentation,
biological phosphorus
removal, biological-
chemical phosphorus
removal, natural systems
 1. Hydrogen sulfide and
ammonia can be toxic and
pose asphyxiation hazard.
Both gases also emit odors,
3. Gases (nitrogen,
Ammonia stripping, acid which can be a serious
oxygen, carbon dioxide,
GASES and base gas scrubbers, nuisance.
hydrogen sulfide, 2. Volatile organics can be
biofilters and soil bed
ammonia, methane) toxic to humans and other
microorganisms.
3. The formation of nitrogen
gas can cause large globs of
sludge to overflow, thus
polluting the receiving water
body.
4. Priority pollutants Chemical precipitation, 1. Some metals and
(metals, non-metals, ion exchange, compounds cause mutation,
PRIORITY
organic compounds, nanofiltration, reverse cancer and birth defects.
POLLUTANT
halogenated compounds, osmosis and biological 2. Metals accumulate in fish
S
pesticides, herbicides, degradation in natural and plant and can be toxic
insecticides) systems and reed beds and/or hazardous.

BIOLOGICAL FRACTION

1. Algae covers sur face

waters since they reproduce
rapidly, and affect the quality
of water for drinking in
Micro-organisms
Application of copper terms of taste and odor.
classified as:
sulfate, sludge wasting and 2. Algae affects the value of
a. protista (bacteria, water for water supply
return
MICRO fungi, protozoa, algae) because they cause taste and
ORGANISMS odor problems.
3. Bacteria can cause sludge
bulking resulting in higher
suspended solids in the
effluent and receiving water
body.
b. plants (ferns, mosses,
seed plants, liverworts)
c. animals (vertebrates,
invertebrates)
 Chlorination,
hypochlorination, bromine
d. pathogenic organisms chloride, ozonation, UV Cause communicable
(coliforms) radiation, biological diseases.
degradation in natural
systems

Effluent Standards

Treatment aims to reduce the effluent output to a quality that conforms to environmental standards. In the
Philippines, effluent standards are applied to the final effluent or discharge of treated/untreated
wastewater. Water quality standards are based on the classification of the water body that will be the final
point of discharge. Selected pertinent portions of the effluent standards are shown in the Table.

If final disposal is into soils, effluent quality is applied to the wastewater discharge, while the disposal
process must conform to agricultural regulations that may be issued.

Effluent Standards
CLASS SD &
INLAND COASTAL
OTHER
PARAMETER UNIT WATERS WATERS
COASTAL NOT
(CLASS D) (CLASS SC)
CLASSIFIED
Color PCU C C
Temperature rise °C 3 3 3
pH (range) 6.0-9.0 6.0-9.0 5.0-9.0
COD mg/L 200 200 200
5-Days °C BOD mg/L 120 100 120

mg/L 150 150 F

Total Suspended Solids
Total Dissolved Solids mg/L 1500 (H) - -
Surfactants mg/L - 10 -
Oil/Grease mg/L - 10 -

Phenolics Substances as
mg/L 0.5 1
Phenols

Total Coliforms MPN/100ml J - -

C- Discharge shall not cause abnormal discoloration in the receiving water of the mixing zone.
F- Not more than 30 mg/L increase (dry season)
J- If effluent is used to irrigate vegetable and fruit crops which may be eaten raw, fecal coliforms should
be less than 500 MPN/100 mL.
H- If effluent is the sole source of supply for irrigation, the maximum limits are 1,500 mg/L and 1,000 mg/L,
respectively, for old industries and new industries.