Record Details
Persulfate oxidizable carbon as an index of organic pollution in wastewater
ScholarsArchive at Oregon State University
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Title | Persulfate oxidizable carbon as an index of organic pollution in wastewater |
| Names |
Purkerson, L. Lee
(creator) Gilmour, C. M. (advisor) |
| Date Issued | 1962-07-23 (iso8601) |
| Note | Graduation date: 1963 |
| Abstract | Methods for the detection and measurement of waste materials in water have lagged far behind the many complex problems facing workers in the water pollution field. The present study introduces a new method for the detection and measurement of organic pollution in water. This new method, the persulfate oxidation, is compared with other methods already adopted for the measurement of organic pollution in water. A wide variety of pure organic compounds that were considered representative of substances found in sewage were analyzed by the persulfate oxidation procedure. Excellent carbon recoveries were obtained for single compound solutions as well as multiple compound mixtures of water-soluble carbohydrates, organic acids, alcohols and amino acids in dilute solution. By analyzing dilute glucose solutions and more complex prepared synthetic sewages, as well as raw domestic sewage and trade waste, it was found that the 5-day BOD could be predicted from data obtained from the POC method. It was necessary, however, to derive a different regression coefficient for the raw domestic and trade wastes than was used for the prepared synthetic wastes. A statistical analysis of the data obtained revealed a positive correlation of 0.998 between the POC and the 5-day BOD. In addition, there was only a 3 per cent coefficient of variation for the data obtained by the persulfate method compared to a 10 per cent coefficient of variation for the 5-day BOD. The predicted 5-day BOD (BOD[subscript c]) obtained from the persulfate oxidation was compared with the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and the total carbon (TOC) procedure. It was subsequently determined that the persulfate oxidation measured only a fraction of the carbon oxidized by the COD or TOC methods. In addition, wastes of similar chemical composition exhibited constant and characteristic COD/BOD[subscript c] ratios. There was, however, no evidence to support any relationship between TOC and BOD[subscript c]. It was felt significant that the BOD[subscript c] based upon the POC levels provided data equally as useful as that obtained by the classical 5-day BOD. The identity of persulfate oxidizable carbon was only partially elucidated. It has thus far been determined that the POC fraction comprises a greater carbon fraction than is oxidized during the 5-day BOD, but is considerably less than is measured by either the COD or the TOC procedures. The carbon fraction measured by the persulfate was, however, identified as the carbon fraction oxidized biochemically during first stage aerobic stabilization. |
| Genre | Thesis/Dissertation |
| Topic | Water -- Microbiology |
| Identifier | http://hdl.handle.net/1957/48757 |
