bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Management and Analysis of Data from Petroleum Refinery Wastewater Treatment Plants
Authors: Chapman David T. , Grammas Jerry
Published: March 2019

An overview is provided of the main issues which must be addressed in managing and analyzing data from wastewater treatment facilities. The objectives of environmental data management and analysis are discussed from the point of view of both the plant operator or owner and the regulatory authority. Based on the examination of the 1985 records of flow and phenol concentrations from seven Canadian petroleum refineries, recommendations are made for improving existing databases. In analyzing environmental data to transform raw data into information, exploratory data analysis techniques should be used by engineers or operators who do not have formal statistical training. These methods employ simple statistical summaries and graphical data displays. The paper concludes with a brief discussion about future trends in environmental data management and analysis. An extensive statistical background on the part of the reader is not assumed.
Online Instrumentation of Petroleum Refinery Wastewater Treatment Plants
Authors: Stephenson J.P.
Published: March 2019

Several online analytical instruments are commercially available to allow continuous monitoring of petroleum industry wastewater treatment plants. Satisfactory usage of these instruments requires -special attention for sample preconditioning and sample characterization prior to selection. Specific examples of the available instruments are provided. Effective maintenance of instruments is emphasized.
Control Systems for the Activated Sludge Process Part I — Modelling
Authors: Vitasovic Zdenko , Andrews John F.
Published: March 2019

An integrated dynamic model and control system are presented for the activated sludge process. The integrated model is comprised of separate models for the influent pump station, air supply and distribution system, biological reactor, and solids-liquid separator. The models for the pump station and for the air supply and distribution system were based on those for a full-scale plant, the Sagemont plant, Houston, Texas, and use standard engineering equations. The models for the biological reactor and solids-liquid separator are more research oriented and were obtained primarily from the literature. Predictions using these models are therefore expected to be more qualitative than quantitative. The integrated model will be used in part II of the paper to explore process control strategies by computer simulation.
Reactions of Hydroxyl Radicals with Chlorobenzenes: Comparison of TiO2 Photocatalyst Reactions to Fenton’s Reagent
Authors: Lepore G. , Langford C.H.
Published: March 2019

A comparative study on reactions of solution and surface generated hydroxyl radicals with chlorobenzenes has been carried out, to determine the reaction path of reactive intermediates in photo-catalysis. Two separate approaches for generating hydroxyl radical oxidants in aqueous media were employed. Fenton’s reagent (solution generation) and TiO2 irradiation (surface generation) were exploited in the decomposition of dichlorobenzenes, 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene and a mixture (o-DCB, m-DCB, 1,2,4-TCB). Photocatalysis displayed a distinctive order for the individual chlorobenzenes with increasing ease of disappearance: p-DCB < 1,2,4-TCB < o-DCB < m-DCB. Reduced selectivity was observed for a mixture. Use of Fenton’s reagent resulted in the following pattern for both individual and the mixture of chlorobenzenes: 1,2,4-TCB < o-DCB ≈ p-DCB ≈ m-DCB. Added acetone, suppressed the disappearance of the parent chlorinated aromatics in both systems. However, in the reaction with Fenton’s reagent 1,2,4-TCB displayed considerable sensitivity in comparison to the DCB isomers. In contrast, the photocatalysis of three individual substrates evaluated in a mixture (1,2,4-TCB, m-DCB, o-DCB) did not manifest significant differences. Results indicate that reactions observed on the photocatalyst must occur in the adsorbed state, where the oxidant is an adsorbed hydroxyl radical or the surface trapped hole itself.
Design and Operation of a Pilot Plant for the Evaluation of Disinfection By-Products in Drinking Water
Authors: Milne G.D. , Harris D.I. , Irvine G.A. , Kellendonk D.I. , Huck P.M.
Published: March 2019

Throughout the water treatment industry, a significant amount of research has recently focused on evaluating the effects of trace levels of contaminants on drinking water quality. This paper describes a pilot plant consisting of a common initial treatment sequence followed by four independent parallel streams, which was built for a study which evaluated the potential of various disinfectants to form mutagenic compounds. Chemically inert materials (glass, stainless steel and fluorocarbons) were used throughout for all water contacting surfaces in the pilot plant. The plant was subsequently modified to study the effects of ozonation and biological activity in anthracite-sand and granular activated carbon (GAC) filters on the formation and removal of easily biodegradable or assimilable organic carbon (AOC).

This paper outlines the design approach, provides a detailed process description and discusses experimental methods, costs, operating criteria and typical process performance and problems associated with this pilot plant.
Economic Analysis of Electroplating Discharges to Sewage Treatment Plants
Authors: Looker Norman D. , McBean Edward .A. , Farquhar Grahame J.
Published: March 2019

A comparison of costs of implementing an advanced wastewater treatment system for a cadmium plating plant, versus the sludge disposal costs of the sewage treatment plant to which the plating plant is discharging its effluent, is described. An economic analysis spreadsheet approach using Lotus 1-2-3 is employed. A case study application demonstrates for overall society net benefit that it is cost-effective to initiate pretreatment at electroplating facilities which allows a municipal facility to dispose of its sludge on agricultural land rather than be required for landfilling. Sensitivity analyses to market interest rate, sludge production, sludge disposal fees and drag-out rates are explored.
Impacts of Heavy Metals on Higher Aquatic Plant, Diatom and Benthic Invertebrate Communities in the Niagara River Watershed near Welland, Ontario
Authors: Dickman M.D. , Yang J.R. , Brindle I.D.
Published: March 2019

Nickel, chromium, zinc and lead were 60 to 500 times more concentrated in the sediments downstream of the Atlas Specialty Steels Co. than they were in the sediments of the upper Welland River or in the nearby Lyon’s Creek. These metals reached concentrations of 4,900 mg kg−1 dry weight (ppm) of nickel versus 10 ppm upstream, 890 versus 5 ppm lead, 1,050 versus 30 ppm zinc and 5,120 verses 10 ppm chromium.

Changes in higher aquatic plant species composition and relative abundance downstream of the Atlas Specialty Steels Co. were plotted as a function of the downstream distance (800 m) from the point source discharge of the company. Four zones in the distribution patterns of aquatic plants were recognized. In the first zone (0–10 m from the point source) benthic invertebrates and aquatic plants were absent. In zone 2 (10–15 m from the point source) pollution tolerant benthic invertebrates such as sludge worms and blood worms as well as pollution tolerant long stemmed emergent macrophytes such as bulrushes and cattails first appeared. Further downstream (15–120 m from the point source), short stemmed macrophytes became abundant and benthic invertebrate diversity and density began to increase (zone 3). Only in zone 4 (120–800 m from the point source) did submersed macrophytes first appear and benthic invertebrates such as isopods, snails and leeches became established.

Sites where sediments displayed the highest levels of heavy metal contamination displayed low species richness and low benthic invertebrate densities. These same sites displayed the highest proportions of pollution tolerant chironomid genera such as Procladius cf. bellus and Phaenopsectra flavipes and the highest percentage of pollution tolerant diatoms such as Nitzschia hantzschia and N. palea.

Chironomid density was significantly lower below the point source (19 individuals m−2 versus 162 individuals m−2 upstream) as was species richness (11 versus 20 species, P < 0.05). A similar pattern was evident for other benthic invertebrates as well as epipelic diatoms (15 vs. 34 species). In addition, the frequency of chironomid deformities was significantly higher at the downstream site than at the upstream “control” site (27% vs. 9%).
Indirect Polyphosphate Quantification in Activated Sludge
Authors: Comeau Yves , Hall Kenneth J. , Oldham William K.
Published: March 2019

An indirect biological method is presented to quantify the amount of polyphosphates in activated sludge obtained from wastewater treatment plants removing phosphate biologically. The method is based upon the property of such sludges to degrade polyphosphate reserves under anaerobic conditions as a result of acetate addition thereby releasing inorganic phosphate into solution. The addition of an excess of acetate ensures the consumption of any oxygen and nitrate, and the depletion of intracellular polyphosphates available for acetate storage. Thus, this new method offers a much easier approach than those previously available to quantify polyphosphate, one of the two storage polymers involved in the mechanism of biological phosphate removal.
Organic Contaminants in Canadian Coal Wastewaters and Associated Sediments
Authors: Atwater J.W. , Jasper S.E. , Parkinson P.D. , Mavinic D.S.
Published: March 2019

Wastewater and sediment samples were collected from 11 coal operations across Canada: 3 coal storage transfer terminals, 7 operating mines, 3 of which had on-site preparation plants, and 1 separate preparation plant. Samples were analyzed for specific organic and inorganic constituents. Only the results of the organic analyses are presented here. The wastewater samples were analyzed for 18 target compounds. Sediment samples were analyzed for these 18 target compounds plus a suite of organic priority pollutants. Twelve of the 18 target compounds were detected in wastewater, only 4 of which were found in excess of 10 μg/L in more than 10 percent of the samples. Sixteen compounds were found in the sediments at levels from less than 1 μg/g to a maximum of 27 μg/g. Limited experimentation indicated that coal sediments were unlikely to contribute organic contaminants to the water column but rather were more likely to absorb material out of the water column.
Review Paper: L’abattement des bactéries coliformes dans les étangs aérés facultatifs — 2. Variables abiotiques
Authors: Leduc Roland , Gehr Roland
Published: March 2019

Cet article passe en revue le rôle joué par les variables abiotiques dans le phénomène d’abattement des indicateurs de contamination fécale — en particulier les bactéries coliformes — dans les étangs aérés facultatifs. Les variables possédant les influences les plus marquantes sur la cinétique du phénomène d’abattement sont identifiées comme étant la température, l’irradiation solaire, le pH, l’oxygène dissous, les nutriments et la charge organique, et leurs rôles respectifs sont discutés. De plus, le temps de rétention, le nombre de bassins et le régime hydraulique sont identifies comme ayant une influence directe sur le rendement d’abattement des indicateurs fécaux dans les étangs. L’effet de l’usage de coagulants tels l’alun, la chaux et le chlorure ferrique et l’impact du pompage sont aussi discutés. Finalement, l’article suggère de nouvelles directions de recherche pour élaborer des critères plus adéquats pour la conception des étangs aérés.
Characterization of Groundwater Contaminants at Elmira, Ontario, by Thermal Desorption, Solvent Extraction GC-MS and HPLC
Authors: Lesage S. , Ritch J.K. , Treciokas E.J.
Published: March 2019

Contaminated groundwater samples were characterized using on-line thermal desorption GC-MS analysis. The results were compared with conventional solvent extraction method followed by GC-MS analysis. Thermal desorption gave similar results for most compounds and was found to be superior for the analysis of water-miscible compounds. HPLC with a diode-array detector was used to measure phenol in the presence of large quantities of aniline.
Removal of Organochlorines from Kraft Pulp Mill Effluent by an Aerated Lagoon
Authors: Tomar P. , Allen D.G.
Published: March 2019

The removal of chlorinated organic compounds from bleached kraft pulp mill effluent in an operating biological treatment system, consisting of an aerated lagoon and settling pond, was studied. The system performed extremely well for reduction of BOD. Preliminary results indicate that the overall removal of AOX was in the range of 15 to 47% across the entire system with the majority being removed in the aerated lagoon. Removal of low molecular weight (<1000 dalton) AOX was greater at 43–50%. About one third (range 30–36%) of the TOC was removed and the ratio of AOX to TOC was relatively constant at about 0.124 (g AOX/g TOC) throughout the lagoon suggesting that the mechanisms of removal were the same for both. The amount of chlorine bound to the organic matter in the sludge and in the interstitial water was found to be relatively constant throughout the lagoon. Significantly less AOX was found in the interstitial water than in the overlying water.
Metal Concentration in Sediments (Bottom and Suspended) of St. Marys River, Ontario/Michigan
Authors: Mudroch A.
Published: March 2019

The geochemistry and distribution of Cu, Cr, Zn, Pb, Ni, Co, V and As were investigated in bottom and suspended sediment in the St. Marys River, Ontario/Michigan. Elevated concentrations, above background, of Fe, Mg, Ca, Mn, Pb, Zn, and As in suspended and bottom sediments were observed at the Canadian shore in the vicinity of the Algoma Steel slag dump. A further increase in the concentrations of these elements, particularly in the bottom sediment, existed near the Algoma Steel slip. In this area, the concentrations of Pb, Zn and As in bottom sediments (1865, 4600 and 92 µg/g, respectively) were many times greater than in the other sections of the river. However, the concentrations of Cr, Cu and Ni in suspended and bottom sediment increased at several locations along the St. Marys River indicating several different sources of these trace elements. The maximum concentrations of Cr, Cu and Ni in the bottom sediments were 1004, 102 and 53 µg/g, respectively. Generally, the concentrations of trace elements were considerably lower in the suspended sediments than in the bottom sediments. Concentration profiles of Cr, Zn and Pb and dating of sediment cores for Lake George in the lower St. Marys River system showed that metal contamination peaked between 1957 and 1965.
Freshwater Bacterial Aggregate Development: Effect of Dissolved Organic Matter
Authors: Rao S.S. , Droppo I.G. , Taylor C.M. , Burnison B.K.
Published: March 2019

Suspended sediment particles and bacteria because of their surface area and charge, may play a role in the binding of aquatic contaminants. Little is known, as to what degree each of these factors play in the formation of suspended aggregates. Flocculation of particles can alter their hydrodynamic properties in aquatic environments and therefore may have significant implications for contaminant transport. In this study, we examine the role dissolved organic carbon plays in the production of bacterial aggregates as a first step to gaining a better understanding of bacterial-particle interactions and suspended particulate formation.

Data indicated that an order of magnitude increase in bacterial population occurred due to the utilization of algal organic matter. This increase in bacterial density was closely accompanied by an increase in the size of the median bacterial aggregate from approximately 8 µm to 16 µm. This observation suggests that there is a greater potential for the sorption of aquatic contaminants by the aggregates.
Numerical Simulation of Unsteady Conditions in Clarifiers
Authors: McCorquodale J. A. , Yuen E.M. , Vitasovic Z. , Samstag R.
Published: March 2019

Primary and secondary clarifiers seldom operate with constant hydraulic and solids loading; in many plants there are significant diurnal variations in flows and solids loads. Secondary clarifiers are subject to density currents due to the relatively high concentrations of suspended solids in the influent. In this study a computer program for unsteady flow in a centre-fed circular clarifier was used to predict the effects of unsteady flow on the clarifier performance. Two cases were considered, namely: diurnal variation in flow at a constant MLSS concentration and a sudden increase in the MLSS. In both cases, the results of the model simulations indicated that clarifier performance is significantly affected by the unsteadiness of the flow; a steady state analysis at the peak flow gave lower effluent concentrations than either the diurnal flow or the step increase in the MLSS. The model simulations suggested that this effect was greater for peripheral weirs than in-board launders.
Photobacterium phosphoreum Toxicity Data Index
Authors: Kaiser Klaus L.E. , Palabrica Virginia S.
Published: March 2019

This toxicity data index gives a compilation of some 1350 acute toxicity data of individual organic compounds for the luminescent marine bacterium Photobacterium phosphoreum, commonly known as Microtox™ test. The index contains 5-min, 15-min and 30-min toxicity data in both logarithmic (log (L/mmol) and non-logarithmic (mg/L) formats for approximately 1300 chemicals sorted by Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) accession numbers.

In addition to the toxicity data, this index reviews correlations of the luminescent bacteria toxicity test data with a multitude of other acute toxicity tests on aquatic and terrestrial species, with emphasis on the 96-hr acute lethality data of 200 individual chemicals to the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). A high collinearity between these two tests is demonstrated over nearly ten orders of magnitude in toxicity variation as expressed on a molar basis for compounds acting with several known toxicity mechanisms. These results indicate the usefulness of the luminescent bacteria bioassay as a simple, fast and comparatively inexpensive alternative to in-vivo bioassays with higher organisms.
Guidelines for the Selection of a Chemical Model for Advanced Oxidation Processes
Authors: Peyton Gary R.
Published: March 2019

AOPs can be modeled at several different levels, depending on the amount of kinetic information and computer resources available, and the purposes to which the results will be applied. Integration of the simplified rate equations gives the most information and provides the best check of the model with actual laboratory data. Even the simplest method discussed, comparison of target compound disappearance with oxidant consumption, is considerably better for optimization purposes than is simply comparing contaminant disappearance curves between experiments run under different conditions.
Photochemical Degradation of Organics in Water
Authors: Yue P. L. , Legrini O.
Published: March 2019

Trichloroethylene, phenol, 4-cholorophenol, catechol and a pesticide were degraded by two advanced oxidation processes: photolytic oxidation with hydrogen peroxide, andphotolytic oxidation with ozone.

The reactions were studied in a batch photoreactor with a low pressure mercury lamp as the radiation source. The variation of the concentration of total organic carbon with time was measured. For the organics studied, the reaction kinetics for the reduction of total organic carbon (TOC) were found to follow a power law. The exponent of the power law varies with the initial TOC concentration. Results show that TOC can be very effectively reduced provided the concentration of hydrogen peroxide used exceeds a certain threshold value. The UV/Ozone process yielded a more rapid rate of degradation and a greater degree of mineralisation.
Trihalomethane Formation Potential and Disinfection
Authors: Erland Jansson C.R.
Published: March 2019

The UVOX process was developed to reduce the high concentrations of trihalomethanes, a potentially hazardous disinfection by-product found in a surface water supply for a community in northeastern Saskatchewan. Pilot plant tests were conducted at a throughput of 1.25 l/s utilizing UV to produce hydroxyl radicals from photolysis of H2O2 with air cooled UV units. These tests continued through 1985 andl986 to provide operational data for all seasons of the year. Test results indicated that the UVOX process was effective in reducing trihalomethane formation potential to very low levels. Recent concerns have also centred on the biocidal effectivenesss of disinfectants, particularly when applied to inactivation of resistant species of microogranisms, such as the cysts of Giardia lamblia. The UVOX process in a single pass configuration slightly enhanced the ability of UV to inactivate Giardia cysts.
Photopromoted TiO2-Catalyzed Oxidative Decomposition of Organic Pollutants in Water and in the Vapor Phase
Authors: Lichtin Norman N. , Dong Junchang , Vijayakumar K.M.
Published: March 2019

Data are presented on the photopromoted TiO2-catalyzed oxidative decomposition in liquid water of sixteen organic pollutants of widely different chemical types: Arochlor 1254, Arochlor 1260, benzene, chlorobenzene, chloroform, 2-chlorophenol, N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), EDTA, ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, Freon 113 (C2Cl3F3), glycerol, methanol, 2-nitrotoluene, phenol, toluene and trichloroethylene (TCE). Promotion of photocatalytic oxidation by H2O2 is an important feature of many, if not all, of these reactions. All components of a mixture of six pollutants underwent oxidative decomposition but relative rates in the mixture were not the same as for the separately-reacted components. Data are also presented on the photopromoted TiO2-catalyzed oxidative decomposition of nine vaporized organic pollutants: acetone, benzene, chloroform, DMF, Freon 113, 2,2,4-trimethylpentane, methylchloroform, TCE and toluene. An important result is the observation of linear increase of photoefficiency with concentration of TCE up to an efficiency of 22 molecules of TCE mineralized per photon incident on 2.2 mM TCE vapor.
Management of Water Cycle: An Approach to Urban Ecology
Authors: Ripl W.
Published: March 2019

Densely populated urban areas, which have developed over the last century, depend heavily on centralized water supply, sewage treatment plants, and hydroelectric or thermal power generation with vast demand of cooling water. Considerable areas have been drained or sealed, and the short-circuited water cycle has been distorted. Large rivers have been converted to shipping canals with the permanent risk of accidental pollution. Technical means such as sewage treatment, air filters, emission control and lake and soil restoration measures have contributed to correct the environmental damage. However, a balance sheet for irreversible matter losses (mainly base cation charges) from the urbanized areas and the surrounding landscape into the sea shows ever-increasing trends. These losses are destabilizing the ecosystems.

In this paper, management of the water cycle in urban areas, together with the coupled matter cycles, is discussed. Particular reference is given to Metropolitan Berlin, with a network of shipping canals, which move biologically treated waste, containing base cations and nutrients to the surrounding rural areas. This could create manageable productive wetlands and re-establish soil fertility. At the same time, the natural cooling system close to the urban areas will be improved by providing more areas with permanent vegetation.

In addition, reduction of the present large oscillations of the groundwater table, resulting from groundwater pumping and its recharge with less polluted surface water, is contemplated. The widely used shoreline infiltration of the Havel River should then be eliminated and the severe damage of the littoral vegetation in large sections of the Havel River system be avoided.
Rationale and Implementation of a Strategy to Restore Urban Lakes in Berlin: Results after Ten Years of Phosphorus Removal
Authors: Klein Günter
Published: March 2019

All lakes in the Berlin area have received excessive phosphorus loads during the last century. Restoration measures during the 1980s reduced the phosphorus input to three of these lakes considerably (from about 0.5-2 mg/L down to 0.005-0.02 mg/L total P). Although the chief measure—phosphate precipitation (flocculation, sedimentation and filtration)—reduced input to the greatest extent exercised so far worldwide, it became evident that such lakes may nevertheless need 4-6 years to show significant signs of recovery. Although the nutrient budget reacted rapidly, biocoenotic reactions differed between the lake types.

The Berlin experience shows that urban lake areas cannot be restored by conventional sewage treatment and restoration techniques, but will need a great variety of additional techniques in order to show success. P- removal from the main inflow down to a few µg/L of total P is a minimum requirement. However, further well suited techniques have to be developed for the specific situation in each of the Berlin lakes in order to achieve nutrient removal to the extent which is in accordance with the present knowledge of eutrophication processes as well as with the special situation of each case. This refers to dosage of chemicals, removal of algae from treated surface water, filtration techniques, and hypolimnetic drainage.

The costs of lake restoration in Berlin amount to less than 0.30 DM per m3 of treated water—a price which has demonstrated good results in the last few years. These results are of greatest importance for the further planning of water resources management, recreation, and for a safe drinking water supply for the growing urban area of reunified Berlin with its 4 million inhabitants.
Lake Paranoá, Brasília, Brazil: Integrated Management Plan for its Restoration
Authors: Mattos Sonia Paulino , Altafin Irene Guimarães , de Freitas Hélio José , Cavalcanti Cristine Gobbato Brandão , Alves Vera Regina Estuqui
Published: March 2019

Built in 1959, Lake Paranoá, in Brasilia, Brazil, has been undergoing an accelerated process of nutrient enrichment, due to inputs of inadequately treated raw sewage, generated by a population of 600,000 inhabitants. Consequently, it shows high nutrient content (40 µg/L of total phosphorus and 1800 µg/L of total nitrogen), low transparency (0.65 m) and high levels of chlorophyll a (65 µg/L), represented mainly by Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii and sporadic bloom of Microcystis aeruginosa, which is being combatted with copper sulphate. With the absence of seasonality and a vertical distribution which is not very evident, the horizontal pattern assumes great importance in this reservoir, in which five compartments stand out. Based on this segmentation and on the identification of the total phosphorus parameter as the limiting factor for algal growth, mathematical models were developed which demonstrate the need for advanced treatment of all the sewage produced in its drainage basin. With this, it is expected that a process of restoration will be initiated, with a decline in total phosphorus concentration to readings below 25 µg/L. Additional measures are proposed to accelerate this process.
Approaches to Urban Lakes Assessment and Restoration in Poland
Authors: Kudelska Danuta
Published: March 2019

Research conducted on urban lakes in Poland has proven the degradation of the quality and utility of their waters. This is caused by the contamination of these lakes with sewage and wastewater from adjacent towns, urban run-off and excessive recreation. The most effective external source controls are rarely implemented due to high costs. However, in-lake activities are being conducted with application of different techniques. The removal of nutrient-rich hypolimnetic water by pipeline was the first restoration experiment designed and performed in Kortowskie Lake by Prof. Olszewski in the mid-sixties. It proved to be effective in retarding the process of lake degradation. Recently, aeration devices such as Ecoflox, Miniflox and Microflox have been installed in several urban lakes in order to improve its water quality. New devices, such as bio-hydro structures designed in Poland and installed in several water bodies, have given promising effects in water quality improvement. The long range assessment of restoration techniques and monitoring of lake water quality is conducted and supervised by the Institute of Environmental Protection.
Restoration and Environmental Sustainability of a Small British Columbia Urban Lake
Authors: Northcote T. G. , Luksun B.
Published: March 2019

Deer Lake and its watershed, entirely within the municipality of Burnaby, is located at the geographic centre of the Greater Vancouver metropolitan area (population 1.5 million). The lake has had a long history of gradually escalating water quality problems that have included high coliform bacterial levels, bans on swimming, “swimmer’s itch” outbreaks, heavy surface algal blooms, dense weed growths in the shallows, low water transparency, and dominance by “coarse” fish species. Nevertheless, the lake has served the community as a regional park providing various outdoor recreational opportunities that have included walking, boating, swimming and fishing. The history of its water quality problems is reviewed, the results of the various investigations and research on the system are summarized, and the attempts to improve and manage lake conditions by the District of Burnaby are outlined. The role that the community, senior levels of government and educational institutions have played in this process is also discussed.
Application of Lime and Alum to Stormwater Retention Lakes to Improve Water Quality
Authors: Babin J. , Prepas E. E. , Zhang Y.
Published: March 2019

Urban stormwater retention lakes receive enormous amounts of nutrients from point (sewers) and non-point (domestic runoff) sources. Water quality in these lakes is poor and characterized by: 1) high phosphorus concentrations and algal biomass, 2) poor buffering capacity (alkalinity as low as 60 mg/L as CaCO3); and 3) high pH (often greater than 9). Thus chemical treatments which alter pH will have to be carefully considered. Recently, we used lime (Ca(OH)2) and/or alum (Al2(SO4)3·14H2O) to reduce phosphorus concentrations in the water column and precipitate out particulate matter. Of the two chemical treatments, we found that a lime/alum mixture was better at controlling macrophytes and shoreline filamentous algae, but alum was better at controlling planktonic algal growth and turbidity. A combination of both chemicals, lime which elevates pH and alum which lowers pH, is used to maintain pH within a desirable range (6-10). Overall water quality can be improved through the application of alum/lime mixtures, however, these applications will have to be applied routinely throughout the open-water season due to continuous inputs of nutrients from point- and non-point sources.
Eutrophication of Rivers by Nutrients in Treated Kraft Pulp Mill Effluent
Authors: Bothwell Max L.
Published: March 2019

In 1972, the start up of a 1200 ADT/day bleached kraft pulp mill in Kamloops, British Columbia, resulted in a massive increase in algal standing crop in the Thompson River below Kamloops Lake. While phosphorus loading from the pulp mill was believed to be responsible for this change, the actual elevation in dissolved phosphorus concentration downstream of the discharge was below the detection limit (3 µg PL-1) of the analytical procedure used in the joint Federal-Provincial Task Force Study of the Thompson River in 1973-75. Research at Environment Canada’s Experimental Troughs Apparatus (EXTRA) located at Chase, B.C., has proven that the ambient concentration of phosphorus required to saturate the specific growth rate of attached diatom communities with a concomitant increase in algal standing crop is very low (ca. 1 ug PL1). Hence, although the concentration of dissolved phosphorus in kraft mill effluent (KME) is typically below 0.5 mg PL1 (ca. 1 µg PL1 total phosphorus), even at in-river dilutions of 100-fold, the steady-state elevation of soluble phosphorus is high enough to stimulate algal production in rivers which are phosphorus-limited.

In rivers that are nitrogen-limited, nitrogen in fully treated KME can also stimulate algal production. The atomic ratio of available N and P in the McKenzie River, Oregon, is ca. 2:1 clearly indicating a nitrogen-limited system. The discharge of secondarily treated KME to this river near Springfield, Oregon, has also increased algal production. Stream-side flume experiments measuring the effect of treated KME additions on algal growth have shown that the concentration of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) available for algal uptake (ammonium-N; ~200 µg NL-1 and nitrate-N; ~ 50 ug N L-1) in KME was high enough to increase specific growth rates from 0.30 to 0.56 divisions d-1 during the summer, even with the effluent completely diluted in the river (0.5% v/v).

At other seasons of the year, KME did not stimulate algal growth at concentrations occurring in the river.

In an experiment with phosphorus added in pulses to river algal communities, the attached diatoms were able to rapidly uptake the phosphorus spikes and continue growing rapidly. Algae exposed to a P concentration of 60 µg PL-1 for only one min each hour grew as fast as those algae exposed to a continuous enrichment concentration of 1 µg PL-1. This showed the importance of stable nutrient loading characteristics in controlling eutrophication of rivers.
Predicting Bioaccumulation of Chlorinated Dioxins and Furans in Fish Near Canadian Bleached Kraft Mills
Authors: Muir Derek C.G. , Fairchild Wayne L. , Whittle D. Michael
Published: March 2019

The use of bioaccumulation factors (BAFs), biota/sediment accumulation factor (BSAF) and a simplified kinetics-based food chain model, for the prediction of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and 2,3,7,ß-tetrachlorodibenzofuran (TCDF) levels in biota near chlorine bleached kraft pulp mills was investigated. Data from recent (1988-90) Canadian fish, sediment and effluent monitoring studies were utilized. BAFs for TCDD in suckers (Catostomus sp.) and whitefish ranged 1.8 × 106 to 4.2 × 106 and those for TCDF from 1.0 × 106 to 3.0 × 106. These “field-derived” BAFs , which were calculated from levels in whole fish or muscle and estimated river water concentrations, exceeded laboratory-derived steady-state bioconcentration factors by 10 to 100-fold. BSAF’s for TCDD and TCDF in suckers from 17 riverine sites averaged 0.47 and 1.44, respectively. Weak but statistically significant correlations were found between log10 TCDD and TCDF concentrations in suckers and whitefish lipid and log sediment organic carbon. A wide range of BSAFs were found for crayfish, mussels and benthic insect larvae exposed to particle-bound TCDF in an experimental lake mesocosm indicating that use of BSAF as a predictive tool requires site specific information such as food chain length and habitat type. A food chain model, based on the work of Thomann and Connolly, predicted TCDD and TCDF concentrations in whitefish and suckers at most locations, despite many simplifying assumptions. The greatest simplification was the use of a mean annual flow and simple dilution of mill effluent to estimate dissolved and particle-associated TCDD/TCDF concentrations. Use of bed sediment concentrations to predict concentrations in upper trophic levels did not improve model predictions. With emissions of TCDD and TCDF declining, further application of food chain models will require detailed knowledge of the fate of contaminants in bed and suspended sediments and river hydrodynamics.
Estimating Effluent Toxicity from Molecular-Chlorine-Gas-Free Bleaching in Terms of Toxicity Equivalence
Authors: Holloran M.F. , Willes R.F. , Palmiere M.J. , Wilson D.G.
Published: March 2019

A procedure for characterizing mill effluent toxicity in terms of toxic equivalence based on pentachlorophenol (pep), resin acids, and fatty acids was developed. The procedure is similar to the classification of dioxin and furan congeners in terms of their 2,3,7,8 TCDD equivalence. The procedure was used to estimate the toxic equivalence of bleaching effluent from molecular-chlorine-gas-free bleaching of hardwood and softwood. Lab scale pulping and bleaching trials were conducted to simulate MCC cooking, oxygen delignification, and D100EpoDnD bleaching of hardwood and softwood to market brightness. The results obtained demonstrated a reduction in AOX, and a far greater reduction in toxic equivalence in combined acid and alkaline filtrates from the molecular-chlorine-gas-free bleaching sequence compared to data from conventional cooking and bleaching processes. Untreated mill effluent is predicted to be non acutely toxic, secondary treated mill effluent is predicted to be non chronically toxic, based on chlorophenolic, resin acid, and fatty acid toxicity equivalence. The value of AOX as a meaningful regulatory parameter for the protection of receiving waters is questioned.
Aerobic and Anaerobic Biological Treatment and Characterization of Condensate Wastewaters from the Taciuk Oil Process
Authors: Bedford W.K. , Melcer H.
Published: March 2019

Bench-scale investigations were conducted at Environment Canada's Wastewater Technology Centre to assess the feasibility of using biological activated sludge systems to treat fractionator sour water (PW5) and processor preheat steam vent water (Preheat) from the AOSTRA Taciuk Process when applied to bitumen recovery from oil sands. The PW5 wastewater sample was approximately 10 times more concentrated with regard to COD, TOC and ammonia concentrations than the Preheat sample. Phosphorus was lacking in each wastewater. High levels of cyanide were present in the Preheat sample and high levels of zinc in the PW5 sample. Aerobic treatment of the Preheat wastewater was shown to be feasible with regard to organic carbon removal. At a sludge retention time (SRT) of 20 days and hydraulic retention times (HRTs) ranging from 0.9 to 2.4 days, organic carbon removal of the Preheat wastewater in terms of BOD5 was greater than 95%. Nitrification was also achieved with ammonia removals of greater than 95%. The PW5 treatment system, operated at a 20-day SRT and HRTs ranging from 5 to 10 days, achieved BOD5 removals of approximately 90%. However, residual carbon levels of approximately 200-400 mg/L remained in the effluent. The addition of powdered activated carbon at the 5-day HRT level did not significantly improve system performance. Excessive foaming and effluent suspended solids losses contributed to operating problems. Nitrification was not established, possibly due to high influent ammonia values. Anaerobic toxicity testing showed that the Preheat wastewater was a relatively weak substrate which did not inhibit anaerobic microorganisms. The PW5 wastewater was toxic to these organisms and this was a substrate concentration-related phenomenon.
Toxic Chemical Survey of Municipal Drinking Water Sources in Atlantic Canada 1985-1988
Authors: O’Neill H.J. , Pollock T.L. , Brun C.L. , Doull J.A. , Léger D.A. , Bailey H.S.
Published: March 2019

During the period of 1985 to 1988, municipal water supply sources in Atlantic Canada were sampled and analyzed for various compounds including major ions, nutrients, heavy metals, pesticides and synthetic organic chemicals. Both surface and ground water sources were sampled. Ninety-eight percent of supply sources were within the health-related maximum acceptable concentrations of the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality (Health and Welfare Canada 1987), and eighty-five percent within the aesthetic guidelines.

A geographic information system was used to classify the municipal sources by surrounding land-use and comparisons made to nitrate-N. All samples reported as 1.0 mg.L−1 or greater were from ground water supplies in areas classed as high agricultural use. Though a direct input from agriculture was established for two wells, the source of nitrate-N at the remaining sites was attributed to soil-N and/or fertilizer-N.
Uptake of Selected Organochlorine Contaminants in Fishes Resident in the Fraser River Estuary, Vancouver, British Columbia
Authors: Rogers I.H. , Macdonald J.S. , Sadar M.
Published: March 2019

Starry flounders, prickly sculpins and other resident fishes were captured in the Lower Fraser River in the summers of 1987, 1988 and 1989. Control fish were taken from the estuary of the uncontaminated Homathko River on the B.C. coast in 1987 and 1988. The fish were analysed for chlorophenols, chloroguaiacols and PCBs. The residues most commonly detected were PCBs, tetra-and pentachlorophenol. Fish from the Main Arm contained PCBs that resembled Arochlor 1248 whereas those from the North Arm contained PCBs that resembled a mixture of Arochlors 1254 and 1260. Chloroguaiacol uptake was greater in flounders than in other species. Although PCBs appear to have declined markedly in the Lower Fraser from values published in the early 1970s, there is a need to measure the coplanar fraction to understand their toxic significance to the food chain. Tetra- and pentachlorophenol have declined following a change by industry to the use of alternative sapstain prevention treatments.
Planning Irrigation Water Supplies for the Organic Soils of South-Western Quebec
Authors: Barrington S.F. , Madramootoo G. , Beaudoin G. , Millette J.
Published: March 2019

The organic soils of the south-western region of the province of Quebec are an important agricultural resource supporting an annual vegetable production in excess of 115 million dollars. This important soil resource has been extensively exploited for the past 25 years, and is therefore subsiding at an excessive rate, In order to reduce this rate of subsidence, better irrigation practices must be introduced along with wind-breaks and cereal rotation. These improved irrigation practices require the availability of large volumes of water in a region where the topography does not allow for the storage of runoff within deep valleys. Furthermore, the procurement of these irrigation volumes must not jeopardise the water supply required by the urban communities and industries. An analysis of the available water supplies indicates that the best choice is the farm pond.
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Suspended Particulates from Hamilton Harbour
Authors: Mayer T. , Nagy E.
Published: March 2019

The concentrations and relative abundances of sixteen priority pollutant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured in suspended particulates and benthic sediments from Hamilton Harbour. The PAH concentrations in suspended particulates, often as high as PAH concentrations in benthic sediments, ranged between 4.41 and 106.02 µg/g. The highest PAH concentrations were found in areas close to the industrial sites. Selected samples of suspended particulates from western part of Lake Ontario were also analyzed for PAHs to learn about the transport of PAHs from the harbour to Lake Ontario via the Burlington Ship Canal. The results reveal export of PAHs along with the other contaminants from Hamilton Harbour to Lake Ontario.

In addition to PAHs, n-alkanes were determined in all samples, as they are readily determined from the extracts and they are useful in deciphering the sources of suspended particulates, hence particle-associated PAHs.
Effect of Sample Storage Conditions on Body Burden Analysis of Organic Contaminants in Unionid Mussels
Authors: Hanna Micheline
Published: March 2019

In order to quantitatively assess the effect of sample storage conditions on the body burden analysis of organic contaminants, a comparative analysis was carried out on the unionid mussel Elliptic complanata. The mussels were divided into two groups, each with distinct storage conditions, while Group A was kept in the freezer at −20°C, Group B was kept in the refrigerator for five days at 5°C. All the compounds present in the control were also present in Group B samples. Analysis of the organic contaminants in each of these two groups showed that for total PCB concentrations, the two treatments were not significantly different; however when compared individually 6 of the 13 PCB congeners showed significant differences. The observed differences were relatively small for individual PCB congeners (7.1 to 15.3%), higher for chlorobenzenes (10.5 to 36.4%), and yet higher for HCE (44.1%); the difference for HCE, although large is nevertheless not significant, even if only marginally so.
Hydrochemical Modeling of Metal Fate and Transport in Freshwater Environments
Authors: Dzombak David A. , Ali M. Ashraf
Published: March 2019

During the last decade there has been growing interest in the development of hydrochemical models (coupled transport-chemistry-biology models) for better understanding and, eventually, for predicting the fate and transport of metals in freshwater environments. While there has been much discussion of such models and their submodels, and detailed examinations of the mechanistic descriptions and mathematics involved in their formulation, there has been relatively little attention focused on how well they perform in describing field data. This paper provides a look at the state-of-the art in hydrochemical modeling of metal fate and transport in groundwater, riverine and lacustrine systems through review of reported model validation attempts. Focus is on those models that have been applied to describe field data; the degree of success achieved and related factors are examined. Key observations drawn from our review of available hydrochemical models and attempted applications to field data are as follows: (1) most existing models consider steady one-dimensional flow only; (2) most existing models consider only one or a few chemical reaction mechanisms, with sorption-desorption being the most common; (3) local equilibrium is assumed in most models, though kinetic formulations for some chemical processes have been incorporated in some models; and (4) interaction of metals with biota have been considered in only a few models and in a very simplified manner. The most advanced hydrochemical models for metal fate and transport appear to be those for groundwater systems, followed in order by those for rivers and lakes. From a larger perspective, however, hydrochemical models for metals are still at an early stage of development for all freshwater environments.
Metal Ion Immobilization by Bacterial Surfaces in Freshwater Environments
Authors: Schultze-Lam Susanne , Thompson Joel B. , Beveridge Terry J.
Published: March 2019

Bacteria are ubiquitous life forms and occur throughout most natural environments. Consequently, they have developed a full spectrum of metabolic functions to adapt themselves to a diverse range of external milieux. These adaptations have been so successful that, in a global way, they are responsible for the cycling of many important elements (e.g., C, N, S, P, etc.). In this review we concentrate on their surface interaction with soluble metals and their innate ability to concentrate them and form minerals from metal salts within natural waters, sediments and soils. Since most of the readers of this article will not be bacteriologists, we first give a brief overview of the make-up of bacterial surfaces. We also discuss the formation and composition of microbial biofilms which are instrumental in immobilizing toxic metals.