Anaerobic treatment of industrial wastewater has come a long way in the past 10 to 20 years. Prior to 1980, the process was deemed unreliable for its lack of robustness and overall instability, primarily due to misunderstandings of the biochemical pathways involved and the factors governing sludge characteristics.
- By Shannon R. Grant, MScE, PE, Shashi Gorur, ME, PE, James C. Young, PhD, PE, Robert Landine, PhD, PE, Albert C. Cocci, PhD, PE, C. Calvert Churn, PhD, PE
This article originally appeared in the 11/01/2002 issue of Environmental Protection.
Membrane bioreactor (MBR) has emerged as the wastewater treatment technology of choice for an increasing number of municipalities over the last five years. This growth is driven by the very high quality effluent produced by MBR -- exceeding strict standards or ideal for direct reuse -- and is fuelled by a steady reduction in treatment cost resulting from improvements in membrane productivity.
This article originally appeared in the 09/01/2002 issue of Environmental Protection.
Virtually all industrial activities generate some amount of wastewater. Disposal of this water in an environmentally responsible way has been a legal requirement since the passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972.
This article originally appeared in the 09/01/2002 issue of Environmental Protection.
"Now I know there are people at the other end of the toilet." That's the response of one Northern California high school student after completing a unique wastewater treatment laboratory. In the San Francisco Bay area, wastewater professionals are helping high school students understand the profession and to move beyond the standard "flush and forget." The program recently received the 2001 Public Education Award from the California Water Environment Association.
This article originally appeared in the 05/01/2002 issue of Environmental Protection.