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Fate of adsorbable organic halides from bleached laundering in septic tank systems
Author(s) -
Braida Washington,
Ong Say Kee,
Smith William L.,
McCabe James W.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.5620170308
Subject(s) - laundry , septic tank , chemistry , sodium hypochlorite , environmental chemistry , biodegradation , hypochlorite , waste management , bleach , pulp and paper industry , seawater , environmental science , environmental engineering , organic chemistry , ecology , engineering , biology
A study was conducted to assess the fate of adsorbable organic halide (AOX) formed from the use of household bleach during laundering in a septic system. Experiments were conducted using laboratory‐scale septic tanks and leachfield systems. Addition of feed water containing 20% of bleached or unbleached laundry wash water did not affect the performance of the septic tanks or the leach fields. Overall chemical oxidation demand (COD) and total organic carbon (TOC) removal rates through the septic systems were in the range of 90%. Adsorbable organic halide from unbleached laundry wash water with concentrations between 0.13 and 0.21 mg/L appeared to be removed in the septic tank but not in the leach field. The average overall AOX removal rate using unbleached laundry wash water was approx. 43%. In contrast, the overall removal rate of AOX generated from the use of sodium hypochlorite in bleached laundry wash water was between 87 and 94%. About one‐third of the AOX was removed in the septic tank, and the rest was removed in the leach field. Analysis of the septic tank sludge and the soil in the leach field showed no accumulation of AOX from the use of hypochlorite, and the AOX was most likely removed by biodegradation and/or chemical degradation.