SESSION: MANAGING CONTAMINATION Sustainability Options in Wastewater and Groundwater Treatment

Christopher Reitman, P.E.,VP, Advanced GeoServices

This presentation will highlight a range of sustainable options for treatment of stormwater run-off, ballast water, wastewater, and groundwater run-off at transportation facilities. For stormwater, many common vegetative options for filtering run-off from facilities exist, in accordance with best management practices. With an understanding of basic chemical principles these options can be easily upgraded to passive systems which capture metal contaminants and capture and degrade organic contaminants. The simplicity or complexity of these treatment systems can be tailored to the type and concentration of the contaminants present, the level of treatment required, the amount of operations and maintenance which can be managed and the amount and grades of the land present.

For groundwater, surface water and ballast water treatment, an understanding of basic principles of ozone treatment can facilitate a huge range of applications for removal of biological contamination, metals contamination, and organic contamination. Ozone can be used effectively and efficiently because it is the strongest available oxidant and it can be created on-site from normal air, which minimizes the need for management of chemicals on-site. Similarly, the ozone has a very short half-life, so no permanent ozone residuals are created from the ozone treatment process. Recent advances in the use of ozone have made it safer to use and lower in cost to generate. A few case studies of the technical, economic, regulatory, and social advantages of using an ozone treatment system for destruction of volatile organics will be reviewed. Treatment approaches with ozone have helped allow industry to move from a treat to discharge approach to recycle, reuse, and zero-discharge approaches.

Mr. Reitman is Professional Engineer with over 30 years of experience and is a Vice President of Environmental Services for Advanced GeoServices Corp. In his role as Vice President, he assists clients in making strategic decisions on utilization of sustainable solutions for addressing wastewater and waste management issues associated with soil and groundwater. Mr. Reitman’s recent focus has been on the utilization of oxidation and advanced oxidation technologies to treat organics and inorganics in water. Mr. Reitman also has experience in utilization of biological systems and nanotechnology for addressing organics and inorganics in water. Mr. Reitman has applied his knowledge on over 50 RCRA and Superfund sites throughout the country.

Sustainable Options For Water Treatment

1055 Andrew Drive, Suite AWest Chester, PA 19380

Tel: 610-840-9100, Fax: 610-840-9199www.Advancedgeoservices.com

creitman@advancedgeoservices.com

Christopher T. Reitman, P.E.

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Presentation Overview

• Introduce unconventional but sustainable and cost-effective options for water treatment at transportation facilities:– Ballast water, – Wastewater, – Groundwater, and – Run-off.

• Review applications of ozone for sustainable treatment.

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Typical Sustainability Goals/Drivers

• Companies must meet reduced POTW/Effluent discharge guidelines/standards

• Must be economical• Must treat more recalcitrant compounds

Conventional BioRetention Systems

• T

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Typical Bioretention System

Not typically engineered to be contaminant specific and or to meet contaminant specific discharge standards

PASSIVE BIOTREATMENT APPROACH

1Settling

Pond NPDES Discharge2 3 4

Cell Type – Aerobic• Ammonia Nitrification• Aerobic Carbon Biodegradation• Metals Precipitation

(Carbonates, Oxides, Hydroxides)

• BOD/COD Reduction

Anaerobic• Dentrification to

N2

• Dechlorination of Organics

• Metals Precipitation

Aerobic Aerobic Aerobic Anaerobic

Basin• Aeration• Settling

Engineered to meet specific discharge goals which are often contaminant specific

Existing Passive BioTreatment Applications

• Airport – Glycol Treatment• Domestic Sanitary Sewage• Winery Wash Water• Greenhouse Leachate• Landfill Leachate• Slaughterhouse Wastewater• Mushroom Farm leachate• Bakery Process Water• Liquid Swine Manure• Mining Waste for Metals (bioreactors)• Many, many other applications

Most things that can be treated with conventional systems can be treated with Passive Biotreatment systems

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Contaminant Specific Treatment

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Anaerobic

Oxidizing -Aerobic

Well Known Treatment Profiles Exist For Most Elements/Compounds

Design Process

• Understand matrix being treated, volume of contaminants and discharge goals

• Choose an appropriate substrate and system• Utilize column studies and pilot scale studies to

verify applicability• Step-wise process to demonstrate proof of

concept and applicability to each water type• Plantings often incorporated into the treatment

process9

Substrate Selection Considerations

• Availability• Economics • Suitability for Treatment• Start-up Rate vs. Longevity• Buffering Capability• Start-up Color Tolerance• Particle size• Permeability

Typical Treatment Substrates

WOOD CHIPS

MUSHROOM COMPOST

CORN WASTE

SAWDUST

BREWERY WASTE

ALFALFA HAY

COW MANURE

Sawdust

SoilSoil

Ref: Hagerty

Example 1 - Glycol Treatment for Aircraft Deicing

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Heavy snow loads in winter Airfield operations are heavily

dependent on effective deicing operations.

Ref: Wallace, et al

Aircraft Deicing

• Deicing fluids include ethylene glycol (EG), propylene glycol (PG) and diethylene glycol (DEG)

• Runoff can contain over 20,000 mg/L at 1oC• New environmental regulations are requiring

treatment of deicing runoff.• Major challenge for conventional treatment

plants.• Systems constructed at both Heathrow and

Buffalo airport

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Design Considerations

• Design COD Load• System Loading• Available Area• Bed volume• Understand Aeration Requirements for

Degradation in warm and cold conditions

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Review Available Treatment Options

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• Anaerobic Digestion (biogas)– Shock loadings, limited net biogas

• Mechanical Treatment (activated sludge, MBRs)– Shock loadings, energy intensive

• Discharge to Regional Sewer– Long-term concerns over cost and capacity

• Passive (ponds and open-water wetlands)– Land intensive

• Biotreatment with Wetlands– No water exposed, land intensive

Complete Treatability Testing

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• Measure glycol degradation in both warm and cold temperatures

• With and without aeration

Ref: Wallace, et al

Construct System

17Ref: Wallace, et al

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10/29/2010 11/18/2010 12/8/2010 12/28/2010 1/17/2011 2/6/2011 2/26/2011 3/18/2011 4/7/2011 4/27/20110

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

16,000

18,000Buffalo Airport Deicing Fluid Treatment 2010-2011

Cal

cula

ted

CB

OD

5 (m

g/L)

Influent

Effluent

Influent CBOD5/TOC: 2.25Effluent CBOD5/TOC: 0.45Based on Stantec's Engineered Wetland Treatment System BNIA Calibration of TOC Meters Report (6/4/2010)

Ref: Wallace, et al

Example 2 – Zinc and Lead Removal

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Ref: Gusek, Wilderman, et al

Typical Treatment Cell Construction Activities

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Mixing Substrate

Placement of SubstrateRef: Blumenstein, et al.

Final Site Conditions

Take Home Points on Passive Treatment

• Applicable to both organics and metals• Treatability Testing is key for scale-up from column,

bench, pilot and full scale(Part Art – Part Science)

• Very consistent performance available from full scale systems.

• Land must be available for implementation• Can be very cost-effective• Not walk away systems -require some maintenance

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Ozone – Another Sustainable Technology

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How is Ozone (O3) Produced?It only takes a spark

Ozone is responsible for the "fresh air" smell after a lighting or thunder storm.

Ozone Formation from Lightening

An electrical discharge (a spark) splits an oxygen molecule into two oxygen atoms. These unstable oxygen atoms combine with other oxygen molecules. This combination forms ozone.

Ref: Leusink

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How Long Does it Last?

15 30 minutes20 20 minutes

25 15 minutes30 12 minutes

35 8 minutes

Temp (C)Half-life

Ozone Dissolved in Water (ph-7)

13X as soluble as oxygenDoes Not Last Very Long In Water!

Ref:Leusink

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How Strong Is It?Oxidation Potential

Free Radical, -OH 2.80Ozone, O3 2.07Hydrogen Peroxide, H2 O2 1.78Potassium Permanganate, KMnO4 1.70Chlorine Dioxide, ClO2 1.57Hypochlorous Acid, HOCl 1.49Chlorine gas, Cl2 1.36Oxygen (molecular), O2 1.23Bromine 1.09Sodium Hypochlorite, NaOCl 0.94Iodine 0.54

OxidantElectrochemical Potential (volts)

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Ozone History – Is it Safe?1785 Strange odor was recognized by Van Murum

1840Presented to academy of Munich in 1840Connected smell from electrolysis, sparking and lighteningNamed ozone after greek word ozein meaning “to smell”

1857 First industrial ozone generator – Werner von Siemens

1866 Identified molecular structure O3 – Jacques-Louis Soret

1893 First full-scale drinking water application – Oudshoorn, Netherlands

1897 First ozone company, Compagnie Generale de l'Ozone – Marius Paul Otto

1903 First US drinking water installation – Niagara Falls, New York

1906 Oldest continuously operating drinking water installation – Nice, France

1909 Ozone used as a preservative for cold storage of meats – Koln, Germany

1933 Research performed on the effect of ozone on banana ripening - Gane

1936 Research on ozone as an antimicrobial agent performed - Klotz

1940 Oldest continuously operating US drinking water installation – Whiting, IN

1982 FDA GRAS declaration for ozone use in bottled water applications

1996 Japan and Australia approve ozone use for foods

1997 EPRI petitions to achieve GRAS approval for ozone use on food products

2001 Final rule granting GRAS approval for ozone use in direct contact with food

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Key Advantages of Ozone

Strongest disinfectant/oxidizing agent available Adds no chemicals (no chemical storage) Unstable - Leaves no residual (reverts to oxygen) Provides flexibility to adjust to a wide range of

flows and concentrations Can be combined with peroxide or UV for even

higher strength (Advanced Oxidation Processes – AOP)

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Where is Ozone Used? Water Treatment Disinfection Control of algae Oxidation of inorganic and organic compounds Air Treatment Odor reduction and control Control of yeast and mold spores Aquariums and Aquaculture Industrial Paper production – pulp bleaching Cooling tower biocide Semiconductor production Food

Surface sanitation Food storage, extend shelf life(cold storage) Direct contact (produce washing with ozonated water) Laundry Medicine

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Water Treatment - Groundwater

Pump and Treat In-Situ and ex-situ Remediation Common contaminates

BTEX MTBE TBA Chlorinated Solvents Any other compound broken down by

chemical oxidation

Groundwater Remediation

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Typical System Components

• Air Source• Dryer• O2 Concentrator• Ozone Generator• Air-Water Contactor

Conclusions

• Many creative ways to implement sustainable solutions in water treatment

• Passive Biotreatment and Active Oxidative Solutions both may be part of Green Sustainable Solutions if you understand the applications and the benefits

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Reference List

1) Scott Wallace, Mark Liner, David Cooper, Clodagh Murphy, Russell Knight, Glycol Treatment for Aircraft Deicing, Power Point.

2) Gusek James J., Periodic Table of Passive Treatment, ASMR Conference, 2009,

3) Paul Hagerty, Linda Figueroa, Ph.D., James Fricke, Organic Substrate Selection Considerations for Containment Specific Treatment Using Bio infiltrating Systems, Powerpoint

4) Paul Hagerty, Linda Figueroa, Ph.D., James Fricke, The Effect of Particle Size on Sulfate Reduction Efficiency on Mining Influenced Water, Powerpoint

5) Joel Leusink, Ozone Solutions, Understanding Ozone, Powerpoint

6) James Gusek, P.E., Dr. Thomas Wildeman, Aaron Miller, and James Fricke, The Challenges of Designing, Permitting, and Building a 1,200 GPM Passive Bioreactor for Metals Drainage, West Fork mine, Missouri.

7) E.P. Blumenstein and J,.J. Gusek, Designing a Biochemical Reactor for Selenium and Thallium Removal from Bench Scale Testing through Pilot Construction