Patent ID: 7967990

Claim:
A hybrid chemical/mechanical dewatering sewage treatment method for inactivating and removing pharmaceuticals in wastewater inflow streams and/or wastewater treatment plant process liquid streams comprising: a. diverting and oxygenating a portion of the wastewater inflow streams and/or conventional process liquid streams, not previously oxygenated, to oxidize chemical species including pharmaceuticals, which are inactivated by oxidation wherein the portion is greater than 0% and up to 100%; b. injecting SO 2 into the portion of wastewater inflows at a pH that generates sufficient sulfurous acid with free SO 2 to condition solids and wastewater for disinfection, separation, and to deodorize the separated wastewater inflows, and suppress CO 2 emissions and destroy those chemical species including pharmaceuticals, which are inactivated by sulfurous acid reduction; c. holding the sulfur dioxide treated wastewater in the same vessel into which the sulfur dioxide was injected, or a separate detention vessel, at a pH between approximately 1.5 and 4.5, depending upon dwell time, until at least one of the following occur: i. a conditioned wastewater is produced where suspended solids agglomerate and dewater by shedding water upon separation and drying, ii. dissolved solids and ammonia are sulfurous acid treated resulting in odor reduction, iii. CO 2 microbial production ceases, iv. required effluent disinfection occurs to meet disinfection discharge permit limits, v. perchlorate, chlorate, and other chemical species present in the wastewater, which have not been inactivated by contact with carbon in the solids, are inactivated by sulfurous acid reduction; d. mechanically separating and disposing of any solids from the wastewater inflow streams and/or process liquid streams from its chemically treated liquid fraction in accordance with a wastewater treatment plant's disposal permit requirements, e. raising the pH of the chemically treated liquid fraction to inactivate chemicals including pharmaceuticals that are inactivated by a pH in excess of 8, and f. lowering the pH of the chemically treated liquid fraction for discharge in accordance with a wastewater treatment plant's discharge permit requirements.