U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
FEDERAL WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ADMINISTRATION

Research and Development
Cincinnati Water Research Laboratory, Cincinnati, Ohio	May 1967
ELECTRO DIALYSIS IN ADVANCED WASTE
TREATMENT
A bench-scale experimental study was made to
determine the practicality of partially demineralizing
municipal wastewater by electrodialysis. Using filtra-
tion alone and filtration followed by carbon adsorp-
tion as pretreatments, long-term runs were made with
a municipal secondary effluent to determine scaling
and fouling effects of the water upon the electro-
dialysis membranes. During these runs a study was
made to determine how high a ratio of product rate
to concentrate rate could be obtained without form-
ing scale on the membranes. Some fouling of anion
membranes occurred with filtration and carbon ad-
sorption pretreatment; without carbon adsorption,
fouling was much worse. Scale formation was not a
problem at product to concentrate ratios less than
ten. At times much higher ratios were obtained with-
out difficulty. The results of these runs indicated that
the total operating cost for a 10-mgd electrodialysis
treatment plant might be less than 10
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monitor for various processes involved in the reno-
vation of wastewaters and various other research
studies connected with water pollution.
Various techniques, operating procedures, and
the instrument's sensitivity, accuracy and reproduci-
bility are discussed.
Williams, R. T., "Water Pollution Instrumentation-Analyzer
Looks for Organic Carbon," Instrumentation Technology,
14, 63-66, February 1967.
OREGON'S COASTAL AND ESTUARINE
WATERS - BIBLIOGRAPHY
This bibliography brings together in one volume
references to be published and readily accessible
unpublished literature pertaining to research and
engineering on the natural phenomena of Oregon's
coastal and estuarine waters and their adjacent land
masses. It is believed that the bibliography will serve
future investigators by allowing them to learn of
previous research without undertaking extensive lit-
erature surveys of their own.
A brief description of the content of each entry
is given and notations indicate if data are presented
in charts, graphs, or tables.
All located references dealing specifically with the
Oregon coast are included. Many investigators, how-
ever, dealt with the end re Pacific Coast. In general
these references have been included if the paper
devotes several paragraphs to phenomena of the
Oregon coast. However, those papers which deal
only casually with the coastal area are not included.
References included in the bibliography were
located by systematically searching the publications
listed below:
American Fisheries Society Transactions; Deep
Sea Research; Ecology; Ecological Monographs;
Journal of Marine Research; Limnology and Ocean-
ography; Monthly Weather Review; Northwest
Science; Oregon Fish Commission: Research Briefs,
Contributions; Oregon State University Mono-
graphs; Theses: Oregon State University, Univer-
sity of Oregon; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
Senate, and House of Representatives documents
pertaining to River and Harbor Projects in Oregon;
U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife
Service Special Scientific Reports; and Weatherwise.
Ditsworth, G. R., Environmental Factors in Coastal and
Estuarine Waters Bibliographic Series-Volume 1 Coast
of Oregon, FWPCA Publication No. WP-20-2, 1966, 62 pp.
WATER SUPPLY WITH REFERENCE TO ALGAE
Algae frequenUy implicated in causing serious
problems in water treatment in Virginia are the flagel-
lates Dinobryon, Glenodinium, and Synura; the
diatoms Asterionella and Synedra; the desmid Staar-
astrum; the blue-green algae Anabaena and Anacy-
stis; and the green alga Spirogyra. More than 250
genera of algae have been reported for the State.
Tastes and odors are caused by algae throughout
the State, and activiated carbon and aeration are
used extensively as treatment. Other algal problems
in Virginia include filter clogging, attached growths
in settling and aeration basins and open-storage
reservoirs, and blooms in the many impoundments
now being used for storage of raw water. Sixty-five
references are cited.
Palmer, C. M., "Biological Aspects of Water Supply and
Treatment in Virginia with Particular Reference to Algae",
Virginia Journal of Science, 18, New Series, No. 1, 6-12,
January 1967.
OXYGENATION IN FLOWING STREAMS
It is the intent of this communication to present
a method which can be used to separate and measure
the components of reaeration in flowing waters.
Plastic boxes are used to separate the effects of photo-
synthesis, diffusion, and respiration on the oxygen
balance of a stream's regimen and further separate
these parameters according to the benthos and or-
ganisms which are free-floating.
Stay, F. S. Jr., Duffer, W. R., DePrater, B. L., and Keeley,
J. W. The Components of Oxygenation in Flowing Streams,
Research Report, Robert S. Kerr Water Research Center,
Ada, Oklahoma, 1966.
EXTRACTION OF INSECTICIDES
Three separate extraction procedures for DDT-and
endrin-contaminated soils were compared for repro-
ducibility, as well as sample size and equipment
needed. Two of the methods were developed by the
authors, the third came from the Shell Development
Manual of Method. The Immerex extractor is recom-
mended because of its reproducibility, rugged equip-
ment and capability of handling large samples.
Teasley, J. I. and Cox, W. S., "Methods for Extracting In-
secticides from Soil," Journal of Agricultural and Food
Chemistry, 14, 519-520, September-October 1966.
ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE OF GROUND WATER
Chemical reactions between recharge water and
aquifer water may alter the chemical quality of the
water in the zone of reaction, cause fouling of pump-
ing and distribution facilities in pumping wells near
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the recharge point, and perhaps lead to permeability
reduction in the ground-water aquifer. Existing
laboratory and field data suggest, however, that the
danger of permeability reduction may not be very
great.
Precipitates of calcium and perhaps magnesium
carbonate and various iron compounds are thought
to be the most likely reaction products. Theoretical
analysis suggests that calcium carbonate could be
precipitated from mixtures of two waters both initially
stable with respect to dissolved calcium carbonate.
Dissolved ferrous iron in native ground water could
be precipitated as ferric oxide or hydroxide as a re-
sult of mixing with oxygen-bearing recharge water.
This reaction is a time-dependent one.
Mathematical models that describe the amount of
chemical remaining in solution when chemical re-
action occurs between recharge and aquifer water
can be formulated from the basic dispersion equations
if it is assumed that reaction does not alter the dis-
persion process. The models that have been obtained
show the distribution of chemicals in some selected
cases.
Reaction between recharge water and aquifer water
can be prevented by continuous pretreatmentto make
recharge water nonreactive. A possible alternative
method of preventing reaction in some cases is in
jecting a buffer-zone of nonreactive water between
recharge water and aquifer water.
Warner, D. L. and Doty, L. F., "Chemical Reaction Between
Recharge Water and Aquifer Water," International Assoc.
Scientific Hydrology, Sumposium of Haifa, Artificial Re-
charge and Management of Aquifers, Haifa, fsrael, March
19-26, 1967, Publication No. 72, Belgium, 1967, pp.
278-288.
IMPOUNDMENT D EST R AT IFIC AT 10 N
Mechanical pumping was used to break up thermal
stratification in four lakes in southern Ohio during
the summer of 1964. The lake volumes were 98, 100,
120, and 1260 acre-ft. Each impoundment was ther-
mally and chemically stratified before pumping be-
gan. The equipment was a pontoon-mounted, axial-
flow pump, 13 acre-ft. per day capacity, driven by a
gasoline engine. The pump drew water from the
bottom and discharged it at the surface. Profiles of
temperature, pH, and concentrations of dissolved
oxygen and carbon dioxide were taken before and
after pumping. Data presented show that this method
was effective in destratifying these lakes. In addtition,
the data show that water quality was improved by
artifical destratification and that an entire impound-
ment could be mixed with the pump location at a
single position. Some data are presented on total
work requirements, but these were found to be depend-
ent on the effeciency of the mechanical equipment
and the percentage of cold water in the impoundment
before pumping.
Irwin, W. H., Symons, J. M., and Kobeck, G. G., "Impound-
ment Destratification by Mechanical Pumping,'' Journal of
the Sanitary Engineering Division, ASCE, 92. No. SA6,
I'roc. Paper 5032, 21-40, December 1966.
SILVEX AND ITS ESTERS
Silvex acid and its propylene glycol butyl ether
ester (PGBE ester)canbedeterminedinsoiland water
by electron capture gas chromatography.
Extraction of the water and soil, using organic
solvents, is made by liquid-liquid and percolation,
respectively.
Recoveries from fortified water samples range from
65.3 to 94.0% of dosage levels of 1.0 to 1000.0 parts
per billion (ppb). The recoveries from fortified soils
range from 0 to 115.6",, of dosage levels of 10 to
500 ppb.
Silvex acid is esterified with 10% boron trifluoride
in methanol before being chromatographed as the
methyl ester.
Pope. -J. D, Jr., Cox, W. S. HI, and Grzenda, A R., "The
Determination of Silvex and its Low-volatile Esters in Water
and Muds," Advances in Chemistry Series, No. 60, "Organic
Pesticides in the Environment," American Chemical Society,
Washington, D. C., 1966, pp. 200-206.
ATTACHED STREAM BACTERIA
The growth rate of slime bacteria is limited when
the attaching surface becomes completely covered with
one layer of cells. At this point, the increase in mass
of organisims shifts from logarithmic to linear with
respect to time. A second growth-limiting factor
occurs when the thickness of the slime mass exceeds
the limiting thickness for the diffusion of oxygen.
From this point on, the rate of oxygen consumption
will remain constant with respect to time. The max-
imum rate of nutrient removal from the substrate
will occur when the slime thickness equals the limiting
thickness for the diffusion of oxygen.
Sanders, W. M. Ill, "The Growth and Development of
Attached Stream Bacteria Part I. Theoretical Growth Kinetics
of Attached Stream Bacteria," Water Resources Research,
3:1, 81-87, 1967.
MARKET PROJECTIONS FOR AWT
Full conventional waste-water treatment will
usually be applied before advanced treatment methods
are required. To assess the present status of waste-
water treatment, the type of treatment now in use and
the amount of waste water discharged were deter-
mined for the major streams in the country. About
4% of 100-mile river basins now have full secondary
treatment. A study was made to determine the per-
centage of municipal waste water present in surface
supplies of 155 cities of populations of 25,000 or
more. The maximum was 18%, and median was 3.5%
Consideration was given in this study to the pos-
sibility of logistical imbalances that might occur if
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advanced waste treatment were applied to nearly all
waste waters. If a distillation-adsorption system were
used, less than 6% of the Nation's annual fuel con-
sumption would be used and less than 0.5% of the
total power generation would be required. Activated-
carbon needs, however, would double. If electrodial-
ysis were applied, 4% of the national power would
be required. Membrane production would have to in-
crease several thousandfold. Ultimate disposal of con-
centrates by injection, inceneration, pipelining, etc.,
would create no imbalances.	•.
Koenig, L., Studies Relating-to Market Projections fur Ad-
vanced Waste Treatment, FWPCA Publication No. WP-
20-AWTR-17, 1966, 72 pp.
CHLORINATED PESTICIDE RESIDUES
The isolation and identification of "trace" amounts
of chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides in complex
substrates is usually difficult. The combination of
column and thin-layer chromatography provides an
effective technique for the isolation of many of these
insecticides for identification by micro-infrared
spectroscopy.
In addition to the method, an example of a very
complex sample is given to further illustrate the
effectiveness of this technique.
Payne, W. R., Jr. and Cox, W. S.,"Micro-Infrared Analysis
of Dieldrin, Endrin, and Other Chlorinated Pesticide Residues
in Complex Substrates," Journal ofthe AssociationofOfficial
Analytical Chemists, 49:5, 989-995, October 1966.
DETECTING CADMIUM POISONING IN FISH
Subacute exposures of bluegills (Lepomis macro-
chirus) to cadmium sulfate dissolved in water were
made at sublethal concentrations for periods up to
90 days. Acute exposures of bluegills and brown
bullheads (Ictalurus nebulosus) were made at lethal
concentrations. In living fish the accumulation of
cadmium never exceeded 130 ug/g of gill tissue
based on dry weight, but in fish that died of acute
cadmium poisoning, the accumulation of cadmium
was a minimum of 150 ug/g of gill tissue. The data
suggest that acute cadmium poisoning can be de-
tected by measuring cadium in the gill tissue.
Mount, D, I. and Stephan, C. E, "A Method for Detecting
Cadmium Poisoning in Fish," Journal of Wildlife Man-
agement, 31, 168-172, January 1967.
ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE LEVELS IN FISH
Distressed menhaden collected from the Ashley
River, South Carolina, were found to have 46.8%
less acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in brain
homogenates as compared to menhaden collected
from offshore waters. Menhaden and croakers also
taken from the Ashley River, but not in a distressed
condition, were found to be 16.5 and 35.8%inhibited,
respectively. AChE-inhibiting materials were found
in three of twelve waste-water samples collected from
the vicinity of the Ashley River.
Williams A K. and Sova, C. R., "Acetylcholinesterase
Levels in Brains of Fishes from Polluted Waters," Bulletin
of Environmental Contamination & Toxicology, 1:5, 198-
204, 1966.
TRANSLOCATION OF PESTICIDES
There is increasing evidence that pesticides have
contaminated extensive areas of the world not directly
treated with pesticides. In many instances, the trans-
location can be attributed to food or water as the
transmission vehicle. Another medium of dispersal
of pesticides is the atmosphere. Analyses ofrainwater
and dust have revealed the presence of chloro-organic
substances in all samples examined. Identification of
specific pesticides has demonstrated that at least
some of the chloro-organic compounds are pestiddal
in origin. An analysis of dust, whose distant origin
was documented by meteorological evidence, proved
that pesticide-laden dust can be transported over great
distances via the atmosphere and can be deposited
over the land surfaces remote from the point of
application.
Cohen, J. M. and Pinkerton, C., "Widespread Translocation
of Pesticides by Air Transport and Rainout," Advances in
Chemistry Series, No. 60, "Organic Pesticides in the Environ-
ment," American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C., 1966,
pp. 163-176.
COLLOIDS IN WASTE WATER
Electron micrographs of the colloidal fraction in
the effluent from an activated sludge waste water-
treatment plant show fragments of bacterial cell walls
as the dominant material. Viruses, phage, flagella,
and other cellular debris are present to a lesser
degree. The cell wall fragments appear to have a
thickness near 100A. and a width from 500 to
5000 A. (0.05 to 0.5 micron). The fragments are
loosely clumped together in preparations which have
been freeze-dried at -75° C. but Eire flattened out and
almost invisible in preparations dried near room
temperature. Clarification by membrane filtration,
or by flocculation with lime or ferric chloride, re-
moves most of the colloidal material of cellular
origin.
Dean, R. B., Claesson, S., Gellerstedt, N,, and Boman,
N., "An Electron Microscope Study of Colloids in Waste
Water," Environmental Science & Technology, 1, 147-150,
February 1967.
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LACTATE DEHYDROGENASE ACTIVITY
BENTHAL OXYGEN DEMAND MEASUREMENT SYSTEM
The effect of chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides
upon rabbit-muscle lactate dehydrogenase was deter-
mined by both the direct determination of diphos-
phopyridine nucleotide reduction and a tetrazolium
salt reduction method. Comparison of the two assay
procedures revealed that the pronounced stimulation
of lactate dehydrogenase LDH activity was noted with
the tetrazolium salt method but could not be detected
with a direct photometric determination method. In-
cubation of lactate dehydrogenase with DDT or hep-
tachlor prior to the addition of either diphosphopy-
ridine nucleotide or substrate resulted in a complete
inhibition of evzyme activity. The inclusion of either
diphosphopyridine nucleotide of substrate in the
prior incubation mixtures afforded no protection to
the enzyme.
Sova, C. R., "Lactate Dehydrogenase Activity: Effect in vitro
of Some Pesticida) Chemicals," Science, 154, No. 3757,
1661-1662, December 30, 1966.
DIFFUSION COEFFICIENTS OF TIDAL
WATERS - TABULATION
Diffusion coefficients presented in this tabulation
have been computed for a velocity range from 0.01
knots to 5.00 knots at an interval of 0.01 knot.
The equations employed in these computations were
derived from the four-thirds law and the random
process analogy equations. A difference function
and mean value function are also tabulated.
Bunce, R. EA Discussion and Tabulation of Diffusion
Coefficients for Tidal Waters Computed as a Function of
Velocity, CB-SRBP Technical Paper No. 9, FWPCA, 1967.
DIFFUSION COEFFICIENTS OF TIDAL WATERS
Both the four-thirds law and random process
analogy formulas yield effective diffusion coefficients
in the proper order of magnitude for the brackish
portion of the Potomac Estuary. Either of these
formulas should provide useful approximations for
other estuaries where good information on salinity
variations is not readily available. These formulas
should be used with caution in the fresh-water portion
of tidal rivers, in view of the possible important
influence of salinity gradient induced density currents
on diffusion. Prototype tracer studies in such locations
appear to be necessary to provide reliable estimates
of the appropriate diffusion coefficient.
Hetling, L. J. and O'Connell, R L., Estimating Di/jusion
Characteristics of Tidal Waters, CB-SRBP Technical Paper
No. 4, FWPCA, 1967.
In attempting to describe the oxygen balance of
natural waters, it is essential that all significant
sources and sinks of oxygen be considered. Oxygen
uptake by the bottom muds found in rivers, lakes,
and estuaries is such a sink and, in some situations,
a most significant one. The magnitude, however, is
usually difficult to evaluate with the desired degree
of confidence. Most methods of evaluation in current
use require removal of the muds from iheir natural
environment for oxygen uptake measurements in the
laboratory. However, it is extremely difficult to re-
construct the natural layering of solids in a labor-
atory flask, which could appear to be a necessary
condition for obtaining realistic results. In addition,
the interstitial water in bottom sludges is likely to
contain soluble constituents having a high oxygen
demand, and these materials may be lost or diluted
in collecting the sludge sample. The quality of water
overlying the sludges may also influence oxygen
uptake rates in the natural environment. For these
reasons a benthic respirometer capable of measuring
the oxygen uptake rates of bottom muds in-situ is
highly desirable. Such a device has been developed
and is described in this paper.
O'Connell, R. L. and Weeks, J. D., An In-Situ Benthic Re-
spirometer, CB-SRBP Technical Paper No. 6, FWPCA, 1967.
ACTIVATED CARBON TREATMENT
Columns of granular activated carbon remove
essentially all the organic content of biologically
oxidized effluents from secondary treatment plants
if colloidal material is removed first by clarification.
Less than 1 mg/1 of organic matter as C may re-
main. Approximately half the turbidity is removed
by 11 ft (3.35 m) of 10/30-mesh carbon. Powdered
carbon can reduce the organic content of clarified
effluents to less than 2 mg/1. The ability of a pow-
dered carbon to remove total organic matter is not
related to the surface area or phenol number.
Bishop, D. F., et al., "Studies on Activated Carbon Treat-
ment," Journal Water Pollution Control Federation, 39,
188-203, February 1967.
BIODEGRADABILITY TEST
New wastes continually appearing create a need
for knowledge about their biodegradability and
whether or not they can be assimilated efficiently
by existing waste-water treatment plants. There is a
lack of a universally accepted method for gauging
biodegradability of various compounds. The Cin-
cinnati Water Research Laboratory (Robert A Taft
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Sanitary Engineering Center) of the Federal Water
Pollution Control Administration has developed a
test thought to be reliable for organic compounds.
In addition to determining if a compound is de-
graded during the test period it also provides an
indication of the time required for adaptation.
Bunch, R. L. and Chambers, C. W., "A Biodegradability
Test for Organic Compounds," Journal Water Pollution
Control Federation, 39, 181-187, February 1967.
INFRARED IDENTIFICATION
A method for identifying chlorinated insecticide
residues in fish tissue is described. Whereas electron
capture gas chromatography guides the isolation
procedures and provides tentative identification and
quantitative estimation, positiveidentificationismade
on the basis of the infrared spectrum of isolated in-
secticides. The procedure consists of hexaneextration
of fish tissue, partition between hexane and aceton-
itrile, column adsorption and thin layer chromato-
graphy cleanup, and micro-infrared analysis in a
potassium bromide disc. The practical limit of sen-
sitivity needed to provide excellent infrared spectra
of a number of the more common chlorinated in-
secticides is about 1 ppm in the fish tissue; concen-
trations as low as 0.25 ppm have given informative
infrared spectra.
Boyle, H. W., Burttschell, R. H., and Rosen, A. A., "Infrared
Identification of Chlorinated Insecticides in Tissues of
Poisoned Fish," Advances in Chemistry Series, No. 60,
"Organic Pesticides in the Environment," American Chemical
Society, Washington, D. C., 1966, pp. 207-218.
WATER RESEARCH is issued by the Research and Development Program, Federal Water Pollution
Control Administration, Cincinnati Water Research Laboratory, Cincinnati, Ohio. Summaries are based
on technical research publications by the staff of this Program, Reprints of the complete articles may be
obtained by writing Editor, Research and Development, Federal Water Pollution Control Administration,
4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226.
UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
FEDERAL WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ADMINISTRATION
CINCINNATI WATER RESEARCH LABORATORY
4676 COLUMBIA PARKWAY
CINCINNATI. OHIO 4 5 2 2 6
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