Formic acid
Subtitle: development of an analytical method and use as a process indicator in anaerobic systems
By: Sharon L. Perkins
Contributors: Georgia Institute of Technology
Published: 1992
Place of publication: Georgia Institute of Technology
Language: eng
Format: [electronic resource] :
Number of pages: 152
Subjects: Formic acid; Analytic Chemistry; Chloroform; Environmental engineering; Ammonia; Physical and theoretical Chemistry
Description: Anaerobic degradation requires a diverse yet interrelated group of organisms.  These organisms exist in a synergistic  relationship that requires that a delicate balance be maintained  for the system to function properly. Therefore, anaerobic  treatment systems are frequenly consid,,red to be somewhat  unreliable due to the sensitivity o- methanogens to toxic substances.  Consiaerable researc has been done to determine  reliable methods of predicting? when this balance has been upset.  Formic Acid is a common intermmediate in anaerobic degradation and half of all methancgens can utilize it as a substrate. However, most of the research perferred regarding its role in anaerobic systems has focused acural rather then engineered. environments. Further, many of the methods used to analyze for formic acid require extensive pretreatment to remove interfering substances and the use of unstable enzymatic solutions and are not amenable to use as a process monitoring method. In this research an analytical method which could be routinely used for determining formic acid was developed. This procedure was  utilized to examine the fluctuations of formic acid concentration  in anaerobic batch reactors which were fed substrates containing  various amounts of substances known to induce stress in these  systems. The results were examined to determine possible  correlation between these fluctuations and system performance;
Notes: March 1992.

Description based on title screen as viewed on May 26, 2011.

DTIC Descriptor(s): Analytical Chemistry, Formic Acid, Anaerobic Processes, Chloroform, Environmental Engineering, Ammonia, Theses, Toxicity

DTIC Identifier(s): Analytical Methods

US Navy (USN) author.

Thesis (M.S. in Civil Engineering)--Georgia Institute of Technology, March1992.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 100-104).

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

Contract number: N00123-89-G-0573.

Mode of access: World Wide Web.

System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader.