CIVL6725: Physical Chemical Biological Treatment Process

Dr. Md. Abdullah-Al-Mamun

Sultan Qaboos University

Lecture 1: Introduction to Water and wastewater Engineering

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 What is this course about?

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Basic sciences
- Chemistry
- Physics Water and
- Math Wastewater
- Biology Engineering
- Environmental Science

How to apply these knowledge to improve water engineering?

Science – understanding of phenomena

Engineering – application of science to improve lifestyle

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 Lecture Outlines
• Historical development of water treatment systems

• Health concerns

• Evolution of standards and regulations

• Evolution of water treatment technology

• Selection of water treatment process

• Emerging contaminants of concern

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Historical development of water treatment

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Historical development of water treatment

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Historical development of water treatment

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Historical development of water treatment

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Historical development of water treatment

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Egypt aqueduct

Cloaca Maxima 9
 Historical development of water treatment
Challenges in 19th and 20th Centuries
• During 1850-1950, the challenge for water treatment was to
eliminate the waterborne disease. During this period, developed
countries achieved the elimination of most deadly waterborne
diseases, particularly typhoid and cholera.

• During 1970-2000, public health concerns shifted from acute

illnesses to chronic health effects of trace amount of
anthropogenic (man-made) chemical contaminants.

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 Historical development of water treatment
Challenges at the beginning of 21st Century

• Focusing the continuous reduction of exposure to the man-made

chemicals with known health effects as well as to the microbial
contaminants.

• Another focus is to develop the risk assessment methodologies

that can be used to assess the health impacts of trace
contaminants.

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 Health and Water pollution Concerns
19th Century
• Earlier proof of water borne diseases (cholera, typhoid, amoebic
dysentery)
• Demonstrating the benefits of conventional water treatment
(coagulation/ flocculation/sedimentation/filtration)
• Developing the coliform test as a means of identifying the
presence of sewage contamination in a water supply
20th Century
• Develop chlorine disinfection as a means of bacteriological control
• Concerns were raised against viruses (after 1940s)
• Concern also began to grow about the potential health risk of
anthropogenic chemicals (DBP & NOM) in water supply

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 Emerging water pollution issues
• The emerge issues are identification of (a) new
pathogens, (b) new disinfection by products, and (c)
numerous of chemicals

• As analytical techniques improve, it is likely that these

issues will grow and the water quality engineer will
face ever increasing challenges

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Understanding water
pollution problems

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 Environment and Ecology

Environment consist of Atmosphere The interrelation of

atmosphere, (Air) environmental
hydrosphere, components is ecology.
lithosphere, biosphere
and social influences.

Biosphere
(Living thing)

Hydrosphere Lithosphere
(Water) (Soil)
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 Environment and Ecology
Human impacts on environment through:
− extraction of resources
− modification and manipulation of the environment
− deposition of wastes and pollution
Ecological impacts on environment:
− Reduce the productivity of organisms (plant, microbe, insect, animal)
− Endangered species
− Climate change (global warming, ozone hole, acid rain)
Health impact:
− Due to microbial and micro-chemical pollution

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 Environment and Health
Health is not only the absence of disease or infirmity, but a state of
physical, mental, and social well-being. (WHO definition)

In developing countries:

− microbial pollution is more significant.

− environmental agents serve as a link for transmission of diseases

like cholera, typhoid, dysentery, malaria, bilharziasis, etc.

In industrialized countries:

− microphysicochemical pollution is more significant.

− microchemical health hazards (cancer, leukemia, cardiovascular

disorders, etc) are more complex than transmission diseases. 17
 Environment and Ecosystem
Ecosystem: group of organisms that live in a place with
non-living environment.

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 Ecosystem
A well balanced ecosystem survives by a combination of energy flow
and material recycling

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 Characteristics of ecosystems
• Ecosystem has a constant source of energy (sun).

• Ecosystem recycle raw materials through biogeochemical cycles

• Energy flows through an ecosystem in one direction, i.e.,
Sun → Producers → Consumers → Decomposers

Energy flow

Material flow

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 Biogeochemical cycles

Natural systems are balanced. Over utilization of

resource and disposal of wastes into the

biogeochemical cycles upset the natural balance.

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 Biogeochemical cycles - Water pollution issues
Water cycle

Ice and
snow
melting

Huge pumping
for irrigation

Saline water intrusion

to ground water 22
 Biogeochemical cycles - Water pollution issues
Nitrogen cycle

More plant, animal Surface water

waste and residues
Eutrophication

NO3- in Ground water

Eutrophication: Enhanced growth of algae and weeds, which reduces the dissolved oxygen in water by
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respiration. So aquatic animals will die.
 Biogeochemical cycles - Water pollution issues

Fertilizers and detergents

leaching, runoff

Mining of
phosphate rocks Eutrophication

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 Factors contributing to water pollution
 Population growth: World population: 1900: 1.6 billion, 1950: 2.5 billion, 1980: 5
billion, 2000: 6 billion, 2110: 10.5 billion (estimated)

 more food  more wastes

More population  more water  more pollution
 more of everything

 Advances in agriculture:

 more deforestation
 More soil erosion
 more salinity problems
More agriculture  more use of fertilizers
 more use of pesticides
 more animal wastes

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 Factors contributing to water pollution
 Urbanization
Increase More More wastewater  Degrades living quality
density of demand for More solid waste
 More slums
people resources

Industrialization

 More industrial solid, liquid and hazardous wastes

More industrial  Toxic, carcinogenic, accumulative and synergistic chemicals
activities
 Increased demand on resources

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 Discussion: How to prevent the disturbance on water resources?

Atmosphere

3. If we add lot of nutrients

and organic pollutants, Biosphere 5. If DDT or other pesticides
added, what will happen?
what will happen? (Living thing)
2. If green house gas 6. If more garbage added,
increase, what will what will happen?
happen?
Lithosphere
Hydrosphere
1. If we cut lot of trees,
4. If we add lot of heavy what will happen?
metals, what will happen? 27
Hints for previous slide discussion:
Photosynthesis, Carbon emission, global warming, ice melting, sea
level rise, Tsunami, Flooding, soil erosion, climate change, acid rain,
salinity, eutrophication, endangered species, extinction of species,
bioaccumulation, bio magnification, etc, etc…..

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Groundwater Quality Issues
in Oman

• Increasing Salinity
 Groundwater Quality Issues in Oman
• Increasing Fluoride content in ground water

Tooth fluorosis will be

Bone fracture or caused by F ˃ 2 mg/L
bending of bones will be
cause by F ˃ 4 mg/L.

No F content in water will

create cavities in tooth
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 Evolution of Standards and Regulations

• Historical Development of water science and engineering

• Development of U.S. EPA Federal Standards and Regulations

• Impact of Improved Measurement Techniques

• Impact of New and Future Regulations

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Impact of Improved Measurement Techniques
• From a review of the history of regulations the
number of regulated contaminants has continued to
increase as:

– toxicological evidence has been gathered

– new and improved (e.g. more sensitive) analytical

techniques have been developed

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 Impact of New and Future Regulations
• In response to new and future regulations, changes to treatment
process and distribution system operation will be made to reduce
DBPs.
• These changes may include:
increased removal of DBP precursors
changes in the type of primary and secondary disinfectants
the addition of new processes to remove byproducts after they
are formed
modifications to the operation of water distribution systems to
reduce water aging in the distribution system pipes
• Regulations for microbial contaminants are being tightened by
lowering turbidity standards and adding requirements for
Cryptosporidium reduction (use UV, ozone, etc)
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 Impact of New and Future Regulations
Utilities that use groundwater as source water may be facing new
regulations, the impact of these regulations may include:

- investing in engineering studies to confirm that the

groundwater is not subject to microbial contamination from
other sources

– adding treatment processes to remove viruses

– adding treatment processes to remove radon

– potential increased costs associated with the disposal of

materials used to capture the radon volatilized during
treatment
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 Evolution of Water Treatment Technology
• Traditional Technologies

• Developments Requiring New Approaches and

Technologies

• Revolution Brought About by Use of Membranes

• Issues Related to Disposal of Treatment Plant Residuals

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