[A new evaporation procedure for monitoring of iodine-125 in liquid waste].

A simplified monitoring method of 125I in liquid waste was devised. The waste water of 200 cm3 was taken on a Saran (polyvinylidene chloride) film covering a stainless steel vat. A stable iodine (20 mg) and sodium hydroxide (1 mmol) was added. The water was evaporated using an infra-red lamp. After heating to dryness, the Saran film was folded and transferred into a polyethylene tube. The radioactivity of 125I was counted with a well type NaI(Tl) scintillation counter. When a multi-channel analyzer was available for counting, an absolute decay rate of 125I was calculated with single and sum photo-peak counts. The radioactivity of 125I counted by a single-channel counter must be corrected with the counting efficiency of about 55%, with a special emphasis of a self absorption of photons. The recovery of 125I for concentrations below the permissible level was more than 98%.

A "marker" technique to monitor treated industrial wastewater effluents.

In toxicological research with hazardous substances (e.g. carcinogens), wastewater effluent from the test facility must be free of such substances before discharge into the environment. An industrial wastewater processing employing adsorbers of carbon and XAD-2 resin is described; however, chemical assays of each batch of treated effluent must certify the absence of all test agents. Elution profiles and adsorption isotherm tests with the test agents vs. the two adsorbents provided the basis for a "marker" technique which should eliminate the necessity to assay for all test agents in each batch of processed effluent. A radionale is presented for periodic introduction of a "marker" (gentian violet) into the primary adsorbers. If detected in the effluent, the "marker", which elutes from the adsorbers before most of the test agents would signal impending depletion of the adsorbent which could then be replaced. Recommendations to modify the industrial wastewater treatment plant and to implement the "marker" technique are presented as cost-effective alternatives to extensive and laborious chemical assays.

Determination of sodium saccharin in animal feed, wastewater and human urine by high-pressure liquid chromatography.

Analytical methods are described for sodium saccharin in animal feed, wastewater and human urine at levels as low as 10, 0.1 and 10 ppm, respectively. Samples of animal feed and wastewater are subjected to liquid-liquid partitioning then the feed is further cleaned up on a column of silica gel prior to analysis by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) using a paired-ion mobile phase and an ultraviolet detector set at 230 nm. Samples of human urine require a cleanpu on a column of XAD-2 prior to the partitioning and silica gel steps as well as an adjustment in the composition of the mobile phase to quantify saccharin. Data concerning partition values and the stability of sodium saccharin in animal feed are also presented.

[Epidemiological studies on Salmonella in a particular area ('Walcheren Project'). IV. The incidence of Salmonella in the sewage system, in faeces of man and pets as well as in shops, kitchens and lavatories in the village of Aagtekerke (author's transl)]. / Epidemiologisch Salmonella-onderzoek in een bepaald gebied ('Project Walcheren'). IV. Het voorkomen van Salmonella in het rioolstelsel, in faeces van mensen en huisdieren, in winkels en in keukens en toiletten in het dorp Aagtekerke.

As part of the epidemiological investigations on Salmonella on the island of Walcheren, the contamination of sewage water in the village of Aagtekerke was studied over a prolonged period. These studies showed that this sewage water was frequently contaminated by large numbers of Salmonella. In the present study, efforts were made to find an answer to the question of the origins of this contamination. For this purpose, the incidence of Salmonella in the sewage system, in faeces of man and pets as well as in shops, kitchens and lavatories in the village of Aagtekerke was studied for a period of three weeks in June 1977. In addition to the findings in the sewage system (including the inlet water and effluents of the sewage works) which were positive for Salmonella, this organism was only isolated from a few faecal samples of human and animal origin. Serotyping showed that the strains isolated from human faeces were similar to those found to be present in the sewage system. This fact, in conjunction with the results of the bacterial counts. suggests that the sewage system was only contaminated by the small number of carriers. The reduction of contamination observed in the sewage system during the period of investigation could be evidence of the fact that Salmonella organisms cannot survive by themselves in an environment of this type, at least not at the temperatures recorded on collecting samples from the sewage water. Growth of organisms under more favourable conditions cannot be ruled out. An inquiry on dietary habits and kitchen hygiene of the local population showed that contamination within households. Origination with the food, is a real possibility.

Assessment of the trace organic molecular composition of industrial and municipal wastewater effluents by capillary gas chromatography/real-time high-resolution mass spectrometry: a preliminary report.

In summary, the use of HRGC/HRMS and ECC can provide valuable information on the organic constituents of refinery wastewater samples, even when present in extremely complex mixtures. In many cases, the low-resolution (nominal mass) spectra would not have been interpretable without the availability of the corresponding high-resolution (accurate mass and elemental composition) information, since, even with the use of capillary columns, the components of these complex mixtures were not chromatographically resolved. It is apparent that additional components in these fractions could be identified if additional data processing followed by detailed analysis of the ECC data set is carried out incorporating the retention index information derivable from the series of n-alkanes present, although the incomplete chemical fractionation of the samples is a complicating factor in these particular wastewater extracts.

Rapid detection of bacterial endotoxins in drinking water and renovated wastewater.

A pilot study was conducted to determine the feasibility of using the Limulus endotoxin assay to detect endotoxins in potable waters and from reclaimed advanced waste treatment (AWT) plant effluents. Water samples were tested using both Limulus lysates prepared in our laboratory and a commercial product, Difco Pyrotest. The Limulus assay procedure was easily adapted to the testing of water samples for endotoxin. Measured endotoxin concentrations varied from 0.78 ng/ml to 1,250 ng/ml. Levels of endotoxin were not predictable based on whether the water was drinking water or AWT water, i.e., some AWT water samples had less endotoxin activity than some samples of drinking water, and some AWT waters had greater endotoxin activity than drinking water. Only three of the water samples tested were free of any detectable endotoxin. Breakpoint chlorination procedures seemed to reduce measurable endotoxin content, whereas passage through activated carbon columns was associated with greater final endotoxin concentrations in test waters.

The application of constant recycle solids concentration in activated sludge process.

The applicability of the model derived by Ramanathan and Gaudy (Biotechnol. Bioeng., 11, 207, (1969)) for completely mixed activated sludge treatment holding the recycle solids concentration as a system constant was investigated using an actual industrial organic wastewater. Short-term experiments were conducted at various dilution rates (1/8, 1/6, 1/4, 1/2, 1/1.5 hr-1) for two recycle solids concentration values (5000 and 7000 mg/liter). The influent substrate concentration was maintained at 1000 mg/liter COD and the hydraulic recycle ratio- alpha, was kept at 0.3. It was found that for bottling plant (Pepsi Cola) wastewaters, a steady state with respect to reactor biological solids and effluent COD, at different dilution rates, could be attained, lending experimental evidence to the assumption that a steady state could be reached in developing the model and also affecting the applicability of the model in industrial organic wastewater. The reactor biological solids and effluent COD calculated from the model closely agreed with the observed values at dilution rates lower than 0.5 hr-1. Operation at dilution rates higher than 0.5 hr-1 will washout the biological solids from the reactor and the recycle substrate concentration will be apparent if the concentration of XR were not increased.