Hi all,
it maybe a very basic question of analytical chemistry but my background is microbiology so I am not sure how can i do that. Basically, I am using artificial wastewater in constructed wetlands to study degradation of pollutants. However, plant health is also compromising and total organic carbon is increasing. The output has almost zero acetate and I am still confused why it is like that. In influent I am using CH3COONa. So my question is, (1) how can I calculate the total influent concentration of acetate, and (2) does it all degraded by wetland microbial community?
Thanks
Hi.
1 - M (CH3COONa) = 82 g/mol; M(CH3COO-) = 59 g/mol, thus mass fraction of acetate in sodium acetate = 59/82 = 0.72
You have 204.9 mg/l of CH3COONa, thus C(CH3COO-)=0.72 x 204.9 = 147.5 mg/L.
2 - Not a microbiologist but have worked with many biological wastewater treatment systems, and I would say there's no reason why natural microbial communities would not use acetate as carbon source.
Cheers
Hi.
1 - M (CH3COONa) = 82 g/mol; M(CH3COO-) = 59 g/mol, thus mass fraction of acetate in sodium acetate = 59/82 = 0.72
You have 204.9 mg/l of CH3COONa, thus C(CH3COO-)=0.72 x 204.9 = 147.5 mg/L.
2 - Not a microbiologist but have worked with many biological wastewater treatment systems, and I would say there's no reason why natural microbial communities would not use acetate as carbon source.
Cheers
Hello Hamna,
Mario Silva said it correctly. But there will some variation depending on whether you are using anhydrous or hydrated form of sodium acetate. Also 1mg/L concentration of CH3COO = 1.066 mg/L COD of CH3COO. Secondly, acetate is an easily consumed carbon source, I myself use it. Microbes consumes acetate whether aerobic or anaerobic alike.
Best of luck.
I agree with the above. Just curious...what else is in the wastewater that is adversely affecting plant growth.
Dear Hamna Saleem ... with all to the people above, they all ignored the equilibrium concepts. The dissolution of CH3COONa in water involves special equilibrium consideration. The ionic acetate tends to join with H+ ion from water to give the acetic acid, simply because this is a weak acid. The remaining part of water will be OH- and hence the medium will be a bit alkaline. Therefore the CH3COONa is called a basic salt. This is a strong evidence that you detect no free acetate ions in the solution. ... Good luck.
Acetate is very easily biodegradable so it makes sense that you don't find it in the effluent from a artificial wetland.
At any pH that is tolerable for plants acetic acid/acetate will be on the acetate form.
You likely find organic matter in the effluent that stem from biomass that grow on the acetate. If the effluent concentration or organics increase it is likely because you are overloading the wetland and you can verify that from the redox or dissolved oxygen decreasing in the effluent.
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