L2

Dimensional Analysis and Water Quality

Characteris9cs
Skim 5.1, 5.3, 5.4, 5.7, 5.8
Sunday Jan. 17: HW A.1 Solu9ons on Blackboard
Wednesday Jan. 20: Quiz A.1

 Dimensional Analysis Example

How much CO2 does one car produce in a year?
Given: 1 car, 1 year
Find: CO2 per year
Assume: . . .

 Dimensional Analysis
Powers of 10
kg 103 1000
g 1 1
mg 10-3 0.001
g 10-6 0.000001
ng 10-9 0.000000001
pg 10-12 0.000000000001

How many grams in 3646 kg?

Replace the k with the power: 3646 x 103 g

 Water Quality Characteris9cs

1. Microbiological
2. Physical
3. Chemical

1. Microbiological

Plasmodium
= parasitic
protozoa that
causes
malaria

Trypanosomes = flagellated protists they cause

trypanosomiasis or African sleeping sickness

Trematode = disease causing flatworm, a helminth

Example Typhoid
Water and wastewater treatment engineering has been
very successful in eliminating these problems in most
developed countries.

Examples:
Hepatitis
Poliomyelitis
Salmonella typhosa
Shigella dysenteriae
Vibrio cholerae
Entamoeba histolytica
Schistosomiasis
Cryptosporidium

Biological water quality is very difficult to measure directly.

microbiological water quality has been characterized by:
a. Disease outbreaks
b. Indicators:
The presence of these
indicators suggests
that pathogens may
also be present.

How do we measure for indicator organisms?

Bulkstatistical method -> most probable number (MPN)
Membrane Test: direct count of colonies

2. Physical Water Characteristics

A. Sight
i. Color: dissolved organic matter
from decay or algae (yellow/
brown or green);
ii. Color: humic matter (black)
iii. Turbidity
B. Taste
C. Odor
D. Feel
i. Mouthfeel
ii. Temperature

2. Physical -- related to aesthetic concerns

Turbidity
Valuable for identifiying microstratification of particles
and organisms.
Does not always correlate with suspended solids.

3. Chemical Constituents
A. Major constituents (ppm level)
i. Cations
Ca2+
Mg2+
Na+

Contributes to
hardness

ii. Anions

ClSO42HCO3NO3-

SMCL (Secondary Maximum Contaminant

Level) = not harmful to humans = 250 mg/L
Buffers pH of water
SMCL = 10 mg/L as N, 45 mg/L as nitrate

3. Chemical Constituents
B. Ions with Special Treatment
ii. Al2+
Used in treatment to coagulate,
SMCL = 0.05 0.2 mg/L
iii. Fe2+, Fe3+ Stains, taste, toxic at 100 mg/L,
SMCL = 0.03 mg/L
iv. NH4+ Ammonium, organic waste trtmnt,
(<0.01 mg/L)
v. Mn2+, Mn4+ Like iron, SMCL = 0.05 mg/L

3. Chemical Constituents: Inorganic

Contaminant

Antimony

Arsenic

Asbestos
(fiber >10
micrometers)

MCLG1
(mg/L)2
0.006

07

MCL
or TT1
(mg/L)2

0.006

0.010
as of
01/23/06

Potential Health Effects from

Ingestion of Water

Sources of Contaminant in
Drinking Water

Increase in blood cholesterol;

decrease in blood sugar

Discharge from petroleum

refineries; fire retardants;
ceramics; electronics; solder

Skin damage or problems with

circulatory systems, and may have
increased risk of getting cancer

Erosion of natural deposits; runoff

from orchards, runoff from glass
& electronicsproduction wastes

Increased risk of developing benign

intestinal polyps

Decay of asbestos cement in water

mains; erosion of natural deposits

Increase in blood pressure

Discharge of drilling wastes;

discharge from metal refineries;
erosion of natural deposits

7 million
fibers per
liter

7 MFL

Beryllium

0.004

0.004

Intestinal lesions

Discharge from metal refineries

and coal-burning factories;
discharge from electrical,
aerospace, and defense industries

Cadmium

0.005

0.005

Kidney damage

Corrosion of galvanized pipes; erosion

of natural deposits; discharge from
metal refineries; runoff from waste
batteries and paints

Barium

3. Chemical Constituents: Dissolved Organic

MCLG
1
(mg/L)2

MCL
or TT1
(mg/L)2

Acrylamide

zero

TT9

Alachlor

zero

Atrazine

0.003

Contaminant

Potential Health Effects from

Ingestion of Water

Nervous system or blood

problems; increased risk of
cancer
0.002 Eye, liver, kidney or spleen
problems; anemia; increased
risk of cancer
0.003 Cardiovascular system or
reproductive problems

Sources of
Contaminant in
Drinking Water
Added to water during
sewage/wastewater
treatment
Runoff from herbicide
used on row crops
Runoff from herbicide
used on row crops

Emerging Contaminants
Previously unrecognized persistence, deleterious
impact, and occurrence
Antibiotics
Endocrine disrupting chemicals
PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers)
PFASs (perfluoroalkyl substances)
Nanoparticles (ie silver)
Pathogens
Antibiotic resitance gene transfer
Aerosol delivery (shower head)
David Bowie effect

WATER TREATMENT PROCESSES

(setting foundation for last third of class)
The objective of water treatment is to produce a
potable product that is:
Safe to consume, i.e. does not contain toxic
substances and pathogenic bacteria,
Aesthetically acceptable to consumers, i.e. does
not contain color, turbidity and other nuisance
substances, and
Not too expensive to the average consumer.

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