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TRACE ORGANICS VARIATION ACROSS THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM OF A CLASS-B REFINERY AND ESTIMATE OF REMOVAL OF REFRACTORY ORGANICS BY ADD-ON MIXED-MEDIA FILTRATION AND GRANULAR ACTIVATED CARBON AT PILOT SCALE
Citation:
Raphaelian, L. AND W. Harrison. TRACE ORGANICS VARIATION ACROSS THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM OF A CLASS-B REFINERY AND ESTIMATE OF REMOVAL OF REFRACTORY ORGANICS BY ADD-ON MIXED-MEDIA FILTRATION AND GRANULAR ACTIVATED CARBON AT PILOT SCALE. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/7-78/125.
Description:
This report presents the results of research to evaluate the efficiency of pilot-scale granular activated carbon for the removal of organic compounds refractory to the activated-sludge treatment system of a Class B petroleum refinery that met BPT ('best practicable technology') in 1977. In order to achieve this goal, it was necessary to characterize the trace organic compounds present not only in the effluent from an add-on mixed-media/activated-carbon pilot-scale unit, but also those compounds in the effluents from two of the wastewater treatment steps (the dissolved-air-flotation and activated-sludge treatment steps) that preceded the pilot-scale unit. Effluents from the full-scale system (dissolved air flotation (DAF) unit and final clarifier for the activated sludge unit) and an add-on pilot-scale unit (mixed-media filter and activated-carbon columns) were sampled for analysis of common wastewater parameters and trace organic compounds. Grab samples taken every 4 hours were composited daily. Organics were isolated into acid, base, and neutral fractions. Four-day composites of these daily extracts were analyzed by capillary-column gas-chromatography/mass-spectrometry (GC/MS). The average percentage removal of organics present in the DAF effluent was greater than 99% for the activated sludge, approximately 0% for the mixed media filter, and less than 1% for the activated carbon. Numerous data for the approximate concentration of organic compounds are presented. Common wastewater parameters are also presented for comparison to specific organics concentration data.