The work deals with a new on-line control method for the determination of COD and TOC parameters in wastewaters treated by sewage and wastewater industrial treatment plants (WWTP). The method is based on UV-Vis measurements. It was experimentally set up through a 3 months analytical campaign carried out at a WWTP located in the Tuscany’s tannery sector (Aquarno WWTP). During the sampling campaign, wastewaters at 9 different sampling points of the plant were periodically characterised by means of UV-Vis spectra and conventional COD and TOC analyses. A statistical analysis has been performed in order to find correlations between UV-Vis absorption spectra and COD/TOC data. Outliers were identified by PCA (Principal Component Analysis); Genetic Algorithms were used to get an efficient selection of variables, PLS (Partial Least Square Regression) has been used to calculate the final model. The new UV-Vis method was proved to be quite reliable and environmentally friendly, minimising the use of toxic reagents for routine analysis and overcoming the long time needed to obtain COD and TOC data with lab methods, thus increasing the effectiveness of process control.
A new spectrophotometric method for the on-line control of COD and TOC at a wastewater treatment plant
VALENTINI, GIORGIO;
2010-01-01
Abstract
The work deals with a new on-line control method for the determination of COD and TOC parameters in wastewaters treated by sewage and wastewater industrial treatment plants (WWTP). The method is based on UV-Vis measurements. It was experimentally set up through a 3 months analytical campaign carried out at a WWTP located in the Tuscany’s tannery sector (Aquarno WWTP). During the sampling campaign, wastewaters at 9 different sampling points of the plant were periodically characterised by means of UV-Vis spectra and conventional COD and TOC analyses. A statistical analysis has been performed in order to find correlations between UV-Vis absorption spectra and COD/TOC data. Outliers were identified by PCA (Principal Component Analysis); Genetic Algorithms were used to get an efficient selection of variables, PLS (Partial Least Square Regression) has been used to calculate the final model. The new UV-Vis method was proved to be quite reliable and environmentally friendly, minimising the use of toxic reagents for routine analysis and overcoming the long time needed to obtain COD and TOC data with lab methods, thus increasing the effectiveness of process control.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
