TY - JOUR

T1 - Greywater pollution variability and loadings

A1 - Eriksson,Eva

A1 - Andersen,Henrik Rasmus

A1 - Madsen,Toke S.

A1 - Ledin,Anna

AU - Eriksson,Eva

AU - Andersen,Henrik Rasmus

AU - Madsen,Toke S.

AU - Ledin,Anna

PB - Elsevier BV

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - Small on-site greywater treatment and reuse plants are susceptible to high short-term variation in flow and pollutant concentrations. As demonstrated in this study of a bathroom greywater plant in Copenhagen, Denmark, the flow ranges from no-flow periods to high-flow periods reaching 34 l min−1. Concentrations of both macro- and micro-pollutants (organic matter and parabens) were found to range by several orders of magnitude in the influent, based on sampling every 20 min. Paraben degradation was proven to occur in the rotating biological contactor (RBC), while the remnant organic matter in the effluent was proved not to be readily degradable. Ammonium content, presumably from urine contamination, was found to undergo nitrification in the RBC. Mass flow (daily loads) for individual substances was calculated for several pollutants. Macropollutants were found to be generated in low numbers of grams per person per day, whereas the paraben loadings were below 1 mg per person per day. These data are highly relevant for comparing decentralised treatment options with existing end-of-pipe treatments, for feeding into risk assessments and for design purposes.

AB - Small on-site greywater treatment and reuse plants are susceptible to high short-term variation in flow and pollutant concentrations. As demonstrated in this study of a bathroom greywater plant in Copenhagen, Denmark, the flow ranges from no-flow periods to high-flow periods reaching 34 l min−1. Concentrations of both macro- and micro-pollutants (organic matter and parabens) were found to range by several orders of magnitude in the influent, based on sampling every 20 min. Paraben degradation was proven to occur in the rotating biological contactor (RBC), while the remnant organic matter in the effluent was proved not to be readily degradable. Ammonium content, presumably from urine contamination, was found to undergo nitrification in the RBC. Mass flow (daily loads) for individual substances was calculated for several pollutants. Macropollutants were found to be generated in low numbers of grams per person per day, whereas the paraben loadings were below 1 mg per person per day. These data are highly relevant for comparing decentralised treatment options with existing end-of-pipe treatments, for feeding into risk assessments and for design purposes.

KW - On-site treatment

KW - Parabens

KW - RBC

KW - Grey wastewater

KW - Mass flow

KW - Daily load

U2 - 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2008.10.015

DO - 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2008.10.015

JO - Ecological Engineering

JF - Ecological Engineering

SN - 0925-8574

IS - 5

VL - 35

SP - 661

EP - 669

ER -