2. Waste generation
• Waste is an unavoidable by-product of most human activity.
• Many different types of waste are generated,
- including municipal solid waste, (e.g., food wastes, packaged goods, disposable goods, used electronics)
- hazardous waste,
- industrial non-hazardous waste,
- agricultural and animal waste,
- medical waste,
- radioactive waste,
- construction and demolition debris,
- extraction and mining waste,
- oil and gas production waste,
- fossil fuel combustion waste,
- and sewage sludge
(https://www.epa.gov/report-environment/wastes)
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5. Biological Parameter
Parameter Abbreviation/definition Use or significance of test result
Coliform organism MPN (most probable number) To assess presence of pathogenic
bacteria and effectiveness of
disinfection process
Specific microorganisms Bacteria, protozoa, helminths,
viruses
To assess presence of specific
organisms in connection with
plant operation and far reuse
Toxicity TUa,TUc Toxic unit acute, Toxic unit
chronic
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Toxic Unit-Acute (TUa) is the reciprocal of the effluent concentration (i.e.,TUa = 100/LC50) that
causes 50 percent of the organisms to die by the end of an acute toxicity test.
Toxic Unit-Chronic (TUc) is the reciprocal of the effluent concentration (e.g.,TUc = 100/NOEC) that
causes no observable effect (NOEC) on the test organisms by the end of a chronic toxicity test.
8. Physical Parameter
Parameter Abbreviation/definition Use or significance of test result
Total Solid
TotalVolatile Solid
Total Fixed Solid
Total Suspended Solid
Volatile Suspended Solid
Fixed Suspended Solid
Total dissolve solid
Total volatile dissolve solid
Settleable solid
TS
TVS
TFS
TSS
VSS
FSS
TDS = (TS –TSS)
VDS
solid, residu
Turbidity T = NTU (nephelometric
Turbidimetry Unit)
Measure of the light-transmitting
properties of water,
Color The term “condition” was used along with
composition and concentration to describe
wastewater
Temperature Temperature of wastewater is commonly
higher than that local water supply
Effect temperature = can change species
fish in aquatic , O2 is less soluble in warm
water than in the cold water
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11. Inorganic non metallic Constituents
• pH = is an important quality parameter of both natural water and wastewater. The
concentration range suitable for the existence of most biological life is quite narrow and critical
(typically 6 to 9)
• Chloride = higher than usual chloride concentration can be taken as an indication that a body of
water is being used for waste disposal
• Alkalinity = result from the presence hydroxide, carbonate, bicarbonate, and elements such as
Ca, Mg, Na, K, ammonia.
• Nitrogen
• Phosporus
• Sulfur
• Gases
• Hydrogen Sulfide
• Methane
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12. continue
• Odors = usually are caused by gases produced by decomposition of organic
matter or by substances added to the waste water
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