INTRODUCTION TO 
Physical-chemical 
Treatment 
CE 523 
J.(Hans) van Leeuwen
Instructor (33%) 
Professor J. (Hans) van Leeuwen 
from/of the Lions 
• Born in Gouda, Netherlands 
• Grew up in South Africa 
• Lived in Australia for 7 years 
• Lived in Ames for 11 years 
Specialty: Environmental and Bioengineering 
Industrial wastewater treatment and 
product development based on waste materials
Research activities 
BBeenneeffiicciiaattiioonn ooff bbiiooffuueell ccoo-- 
pprroodduuccttss bbyy ccuullttiivvaattiinngg ffuunnggii
Ozonation applications 
Selective disinfection 
Selective oxidation 
Alcohol purification
Keeping exotic aliens out of our ports 
ET 
Zebra mussels
Human technological development 
From scavengers…
…to use of fire… 
Use of fire was the turning 
point in the technological 
development of humans 
 leading to extended diet 
 food preservation 
 better hunting 
 agriculture 
 industry 
Top of the food chain! 
but, this ultimately led to…
…Overpopulation…
P 
o 
l 
l 
u 
t 
i 
o 
n..
Pollution of a small stream
Consequence of pollution
…and ecological disasters
…and more disasters
Distribution of Earth’s water
Dangers lurking in water
Pollution from informal housing
Waterborne diseases 
Map by Lord 
John Snow of the 
cholera outbreak 
in London in 
1854 – the Broad 
Street Epidemic. 
This is considered 
the root of 
epidemiology.
Spread of Cholera in London 1854 
1-3 September: 127 dead 
By 10 September: 500 
Ultimately: 616 dead
Cholera – the rapid killer 
SEM micrograph of Vibrio 
cholerae, a Gram-negative 
bacterium that produces 
cholera toxin, an 
enterotoxin, which acts on 
the mucosal epithelium 
lining of the small intestine 
This is responsible for the 
disease's most salient 
characteristic, exhaustive 
diarrhea. 
Bottom: cholera toxin
Examples of organisms secreting 
enterotoxins 
Bacterial 
Escherichia coli O157:H7 
Clostridium perfringens 
Vibrio cholerae 
Yersinia enterocolitica 
Shigella dysenteriae 
Staphylococcus aureus 
(pictured) 
Viral 
Rotavirus (NSP4)  
(Institute for Molecular Virology. WI)
Dissolved oxygen 
Importance Why is oxygen in water important? 
Dissolved oxygen (DO) analysis measures the amount of 
gaseous oxygen (O2) dissolved in an aqueous solution. 
Oxygen gets into water by diffusion from the surrounding air, 
by aeration (rapid movement), and as a product of 
photosyntheDsiOs. is measured in standard solution units such as 
milligrams O2 per liter (mg/L), millilitres O2 per liter 
(ml/L), millimoles O2 per liter (mmol/L), and moles 
O2 per cubic meter (mol/m3). 
DO is measured by way of its oxidation potential 
with a probe that allows diffusion of oxygen into it. 
The saturation solubility of oxygen in wastewater can be expressed as 
Cs = a (0.99)h/88 x 482.5/(T + 32.6) 
For example, in freshwater in Ames at 350m and 20°C, O2 saturation 
is 8.8 mg/L. (Check for yourself, with a = 1)
BOD 
Biochemical oxygen demand or BOD is a procedure for determining the 
rate of uptake of dissolved oxygen by the organisms in a body of water 
BOD measures the oxygen uptake by bacteria in a water sample at a 
temperature of 20°C over a period of 5d in the dark. The sample is diluted 
with oxygen saturated de-ionized water, inoculating it with a fixed aliquot 
of microbial seed, measuring the (DO) and then sealing the sample to 
prevent further oxygen addition. The sample is kept at 20 °C for five days, 
in the dark to prevent addition of oxygen by photo-synthesis, and the 
dissolved oxygen is measured again. 
The difference between the final DO and initial DO is the BOD or, BOD5. 
Once we have a BOD5 value, it is treated as just a concentration in mg/L 
BOD can be calculated by: 
Diluted: ((Initial DO - Final DO + BOD of Seed) x Dilution Factor 
BOD of seed (diluted activated sludge) is measured in a control: just 
deionized water without wastewater sample. 
Significance: BOD is a measure of organic content and gives an indication 
on how much oxygen would be required for microbial degradation.
Oxygen depletion in streams
DO sag definitions
Cumulative oxygen supply + demand 
Plotting the two kinetic equations 
separately on a cumulative basis 
and adding these graphically 
produce the DO sag curve
Streeter-Phelps Model* 
Mass Balance for the Model 
Not a Steady-state situation 
rate O2 accum. = rate O2 in – rate O2 out + produced – consumed 
rate O2 accum. = rate O2 in – 0 + 0 – rate O2 consumed 
Kinetics 
Both reoxygenation and deoxygenation are 1st order 
* Streeter, H.W. and Phelps, E.B. Bulletin #146, USPHS (1925)
Kinetics* for Streeter-Phelps Model 
• Deoxygenation 
L = BOD remaining at any time 
dL/dt = Rate of deoxygenation equivalent to rate of BOD removal 
dL/dt = -k1L for a first order reaction 
k1 = deoxygenation constant, f’n of waste type and temp. 
dL 
-d[L] = kL 
ò C 
=- ò dt 
C 
t k dt 
L 
0 0 
e kt L L e kt 
L 
L = - kt or L 
= - - > = - 0 
0 0 
L 
ln
Developing the Streeter-Phelps 
Rate of reoxygenation = k2D 
D = deficit in D.O. 
k2 = reoxygenation constant* 
([ ] ) 
2 
3 
2 
( 20) 1 2 
1 
2 
3.9 1.025 
H 
k v 
T - 
= 
Where 
– T = temperature of water, ºC 
– H = average depth of flow, m 
– ν = mean stream velocity, m/s 
D.O. deficit 
= saturation D.O. – D.O. in the water 
Typical values for k2 at 20 °C, 1/d (base e) are as follows: 
small ponds and back water 0.10 - 0.23 
sluggish streams and large lakes 0.23 - 0.35 
large streams with low velocity 0.35 - 0.46 
large streams at normal velocity 0.46 - 0.69 
swift streams 0.69 - 1.15 
rapids and waterfalls > 1.15 
There are many correlations for this. 
The simplest one, used here, is from 
O’Connor and Dobbins, 1958
Combining the kinetics 
OR 
Net rate of change of 
oxygen deficiency, dD/dt 
dD/dt = k1L - k2D 
where L = L0e-k1t 
dD/dt = k1L0e-k1t - k2D
Integration and substitution 
The last differential equation can be integrated to: 
D k L ( 1 2 ) 2 
k t 
o e k t e k t D e 
1 - - - + - 
- 
o 
k k 
2 1 
= 
It can be observed that the minimum value, Dc is achieved when dD/dt = 0: 
- 
k L e k D 
= - = 
1 
0 
1 2 k t 
dD 
dt 
1 
c o 
k t 
o 
L e 
k 
D k 
1 
2 
- 
= 
ïþ 
ïý ü 
é 
1 ln 1 ( ) 
êë 
- ù - 
úû 
î í ì 
- 
= 
D k k 
2 1 
o 
o 
k 
2 
c k k 
k 
k L 
t 
1 
1 
2 1 
, since D is then Dc 
Substituting this last equation in the first, when D = Dc and solving for t = tc:
Example: Streeter-Phelps 
Wastewater mixes with a river resulting in a 
BOD = 10.9 mg/L, DO = 7.6 mg/L 
The mixture has a temp. = 20 °C 
Deoxygenation const.= 0.2 day-1 
Average flow = 0.3 m/s, Average depth = 3.0 m 
DO saturated = 9.1 mg/L 
• Find the time and distance downstream at which the 
oxygen deficit is a maximum 
• Find the minimum value of DO
Solution…some values needed 
• Initial Deficit 
Do = 9.1 – 7.6 = 1.5 mg/L 
(Now given, but could be calculated from proportional mix of river DO, 
presumably saturated, and DO of wastewater, presumably zero) 
• Estimate the reaeration constant: 
k2 = 3.9 v½ (1.025T-20)½ 
H3/2 
k2 = 3.9 x (0.3m/s)½ (1.02520-20)½ 
(3.0m)3/2 
= 0.41 d-1
Solution…time and distance 
é 
- ù - 
1 ln 1 ( ) 
1 
days 
DO k k 
k L 
k 
2 
k 
k k 
t 
o 
o 
c 
2.67 
- - 
1 1.5(0.41 0.2) 
0.2 10.9 
ln 0.41 
0.2 
(0.41 0.2) 
1 
2 1 
1 
2 1 
= 
þ ý ü 
î í ì 
ù 
úû 
é 
êë 
´ 
- 
= 
ïþ 
ïý ü 
êë 
úû 
î í ì 
- 
= 
x vt m s s day days m c c = = 0.3 / ´86,400 / ´ 2.67 = 69,300 
Note that the effects will be maximized almost 70 km downstream
Solution…maximum DO deficiency 
D k 
1 
2 
Note that this BOD could have been 
calculated from mixing high-BOD 
wastewater with zero or near-zero BOD 
0.2 (0.2day )(2.67days) 
(10.9 mg/L) e 
0.41 
3.1 mg/L 
1 
1 
= 
= 
= 
- - 
-k t 
c oL e 
k 
The minimum DO value is 9.1-3.1 = 6 mg/L 
Implication: DO probably not low enough for a fishkill, but if continued could 
lead to species differentiation and discourage sensitives species like trout.

Introduction

  • 1.
    INTRODUCTION TO Physical-chemical Treatment CE 523 J.(Hans) van Leeuwen
  • 2.
    Instructor (33%) ProfessorJ. (Hans) van Leeuwen from/of the Lions • Born in Gouda, Netherlands • Grew up in South Africa • Lived in Australia for 7 years • Lived in Ames for 11 years Specialty: Environmental and Bioengineering Industrial wastewater treatment and product development based on waste materials
  • 3.
    Research activities BBeenneeffiicciiaattiioonnooff bbiiooffuueell ccoo-- pprroodduuccttss bbyy ccuullttiivvaattiinngg ffuunnggii
  • 4.
    Ozonation applications Selectivedisinfection Selective oxidation Alcohol purification
  • 5.
    Keeping exotic aliensout of our ports ET Zebra mussels
  • 6.
  • 7.
    …to use offire… Use of fire was the turning point in the technological development of humans  leading to extended diet  food preservation  better hunting  agriculture  industry Top of the food chain! but, this ultimately led to…
  • 8.
  • 9.
    P o l l u t i o n..
  • 10.
    Pollution of asmall stream
  • 11.
  • 12.
  • 13.
  • 14.
  • 15.
  • 16.
  • 17.
    Waterborne diseases Mapby Lord John Snow of the cholera outbreak in London in 1854 – the Broad Street Epidemic. This is considered the root of epidemiology.
  • 18.
    Spread of Cholerain London 1854 1-3 September: 127 dead By 10 September: 500 Ultimately: 616 dead
  • 19.
    Cholera – therapid killer SEM micrograph of Vibrio cholerae, a Gram-negative bacterium that produces cholera toxin, an enterotoxin, which acts on the mucosal epithelium lining of the small intestine This is responsible for the disease's most salient characteristic, exhaustive diarrhea. Bottom: cholera toxin
  • 20.
    Examples of organismssecreting enterotoxins Bacterial Escherichia coli O157:H7 Clostridium perfringens Vibrio cholerae Yersinia enterocolitica Shigella dysenteriae Staphylococcus aureus (pictured) Viral Rotavirus (NSP4)  (Institute for Molecular Virology. WI)
  • 21.
    Dissolved oxygen ImportanceWhy is oxygen in water important? Dissolved oxygen (DO) analysis measures the amount of gaseous oxygen (O2) dissolved in an aqueous solution. Oxygen gets into water by diffusion from the surrounding air, by aeration (rapid movement), and as a product of photosyntheDsiOs. is measured in standard solution units such as milligrams O2 per liter (mg/L), millilitres O2 per liter (ml/L), millimoles O2 per liter (mmol/L), and moles O2 per cubic meter (mol/m3). DO is measured by way of its oxidation potential with a probe that allows diffusion of oxygen into it. The saturation solubility of oxygen in wastewater can be expressed as Cs = a (0.99)h/88 x 482.5/(T + 32.6) For example, in freshwater in Ames at 350m and 20°C, O2 saturation is 8.8 mg/L. (Check for yourself, with a = 1)
  • 22.
    BOD Biochemical oxygendemand or BOD is a procedure for determining the rate of uptake of dissolved oxygen by the organisms in a body of water BOD measures the oxygen uptake by bacteria in a water sample at a temperature of 20°C over a period of 5d in the dark. The sample is diluted with oxygen saturated de-ionized water, inoculating it with a fixed aliquot of microbial seed, measuring the (DO) and then sealing the sample to prevent further oxygen addition. The sample is kept at 20 °C for five days, in the dark to prevent addition of oxygen by photo-synthesis, and the dissolved oxygen is measured again. The difference between the final DO and initial DO is the BOD or, BOD5. Once we have a BOD5 value, it is treated as just a concentration in mg/L BOD can be calculated by: Diluted: ((Initial DO - Final DO + BOD of Seed) x Dilution Factor BOD of seed (diluted activated sludge) is measured in a control: just deionized water without wastewater sample. Significance: BOD is a measure of organic content and gives an indication on how much oxygen would be required for microbial degradation.
  • 23.
  • 24.
  • 25.
    Cumulative oxygen supply+ demand Plotting the two kinetic equations separately on a cumulative basis and adding these graphically produce the DO sag curve
  • 26.
    Streeter-Phelps Model* MassBalance for the Model Not a Steady-state situation rate O2 accum. = rate O2 in – rate O2 out + produced – consumed rate O2 accum. = rate O2 in – 0 + 0 – rate O2 consumed Kinetics Both reoxygenation and deoxygenation are 1st order * Streeter, H.W. and Phelps, E.B. Bulletin #146, USPHS (1925)
  • 27.
    Kinetics* for Streeter-PhelpsModel • Deoxygenation L = BOD remaining at any time dL/dt = Rate of deoxygenation equivalent to rate of BOD removal dL/dt = -k1L for a first order reaction k1 = deoxygenation constant, f’n of waste type and temp. dL -d[L] = kL ò C =- ò dt C t k dt L 0 0 e kt L L e kt L L = - kt or L = - - > = - 0 0 0 L ln
  • 28.
    Developing the Streeter-Phelps Rate of reoxygenation = k2D D = deficit in D.O. k2 = reoxygenation constant* ([ ] ) 2 3 2 ( 20) 1 2 1 2 3.9 1.025 H k v T - = Where – T = temperature of water, ºC – H = average depth of flow, m – ν = mean stream velocity, m/s D.O. deficit = saturation D.O. – D.O. in the water Typical values for k2 at 20 °C, 1/d (base e) are as follows: small ponds and back water 0.10 - 0.23 sluggish streams and large lakes 0.23 - 0.35 large streams with low velocity 0.35 - 0.46 large streams at normal velocity 0.46 - 0.69 swift streams 0.69 - 1.15 rapids and waterfalls > 1.15 There are many correlations for this. The simplest one, used here, is from O’Connor and Dobbins, 1958
  • 29.
    Combining the kinetics OR Net rate of change of oxygen deficiency, dD/dt dD/dt = k1L - k2D where L = L0e-k1t dD/dt = k1L0e-k1t - k2D
  • 30.
    Integration and substitution The last differential equation can be integrated to: D k L ( 1 2 ) 2 k t o e k t e k t D e 1 - - - + - - o k k 2 1 = It can be observed that the minimum value, Dc is achieved when dD/dt = 0: - k L e k D = - = 1 0 1 2 k t dD dt 1 c o k t o L e k D k 1 2 - = ïþ ïý ü é 1 ln 1 ( ) êë - ù - úû î í ì - = D k k 2 1 o o k 2 c k k k k L t 1 1 2 1 , since D is then Dc Substituting this last equation in the first, when D = Dc and solving for t = tc:
  • 31.
    Example: Streeter-Phelps Wastewatermixes with a river resulting in a BOD = 10.9 mg/L, DO = 7.6 mg/L The mixture has a temp. = 20 °C Deoxygenation const.= 0.2 day-1 Average flow = 0.3 m/s, Average depth = 3.0 m DO saturated = 9.1 mg/L • Find the time and distance downstream at which the oxygen deficit is a maximum • Find the minimum value of DO
  • 32.
    Solution…some values needed • Initial Deficit Do = 9.1 – 7.6 = 1.5 mg/L (Now given, but could be calculated from proportional mix of river DO, presumably saturated, and DO of wastewater, presumably zero) • Estimate the reaeration constant: k2 = 3.9 v½ (1.025T-20)½ H3/2 k2 = 3.9 x (0.3m/s)½ (1.02520-20)½ (3.0m)3/2 = 0.41 d-1
  • 33.
    Solution…time and distance é - ù - 1 ln 1 ( ) 1 days DO k k k L k 2 k k k t o o c 2.67 - - 1 1.5(0.41 0.2) 0.2 10.9 ln 0.41 0.2 (0.41 0.2) 1 2 1 1 2 1 = þ ý ü î í ì ù úû é êë ´ - = ïþ ïý ü êë úû î í ì - = x vt m s s day days m c c = = 0.3 / ´86,400 / ´ 2.67 = 69,300 Note that the effects will be maximized almost 70 km downstream
  • 34.
    Solution…maximum DO deficiency D k 1 2 Note that this BOD could have been calculated from mixing high-BOD wastewater with zero or near-zero BOD 0.2 (0.2day )(2.67days) (10.9 mg/L) e 0.41 3.1 mg/L 1 1 = = = - - -k t c oL e k The minimum DO value is 9.1-3.1 = 6 mg/L Implication: DO probably not low enough for a fishkill, but if continued could lead to species differentiation and discourage sensitives species like trout.