SIZE DISTRIBUTIONS OF PARTICULATE CONTAMINANTS IN WASTE-WATER AND THEIR IMPACT ON TREATABILITY

Particle size information, derived from membrane separation of wastewater samples and quantification of solids and organic content, is used to examine particulate contaminants in wastewater in terms of size distributions and biological treatability. Field and bench-scale studies of aerobic and anaerobic biological processes provide a basis for determining the conditions under which influent particle size distributions influence process kinetics. The value of using pretreatment processes to modify particle size distributions is investigated for high-rate and conventional biological treatment processes. The utility of particle size information for design and process evaluation, as an adjunct to conventional wastewater characterization parameters, is discussed, particularly for municipal wastewater treatment and reuse.