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Research on the effects of detergents (Alkylbenzenesulfonates and phosphates) in sewage systems. A progress report
Author(s) -
Justice J. D.
Publication year - 1958
Publication title -
journal of the american oil chemists' society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.512
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1558-9331
pISSN - 0003-021X
DOI - 10.1007/bf02637949
Subject(s) - sewage , sewage treatment , ammonia , sewage sludge , environmental chemistry , activated sludge , chemistry , environmental science , waste management , environmental engineering , biochemistry , engineering
Summary Several university research programs on the effects of alkylbenzenesulfonate (ABS) and condensed phosphates on water‐treatment plants and sewage‐treatment plants are reviewed. Methods of analyzing for very small amounts of these materials have been developed. The concentration of condensed phosphates in surface waters was determined, and it was found that even at several times these levels the effect on normal water‐treatment procedures is slight. In sewage treatment plants the presence of ABS is only one of the factors in the frothing problem. Ammonia nitrogen, BOD, and temperature are also involved. Most of the ABS entering an activated sludge process is biologically degraded, and it has no toxic effect on sewage bacteria. At the levels found in surface waters ABS does not have a toxic effect on aquatic life.