I have the following problem. Municipal wastewater is treated on biological beds. The beds are polypropylene open mesh baskets which offer high area for growth of microorganisms. The beds are placed in reactors and submerged in watstewater. The beds are 3-stage ones. After first and second stage the colour of wastewater is white, while raw wastewater are brown-grey. Also the effuluent is of normal colour. There is no industrial wastewater in the influent. The concentration of oxygen in the wastewater is very high (about 4 - 6 mg/L). What can be the reason for untypical white colour of the wastewater?
Hi Ewa,
Is the white color caused by suspended solids or is there an image of dissolved matter (like milky)? Also, if the effluent water meets the treatment standards, what is the problem is not fully understood. Did you do any microscopic examination of wastewater after first and second stage?
Might be due to precipitation of calcium carbonate or calcium phosphate. If there is intensive aeration and high inorganic carbon content, CO2 can be degassed resulting in pH increase and mineral precipitation. However, a chemical analysis (pH, alkalinity, P, Ca, N) is required to confirm this guess.
Colour of waste water depend upon various parameters such as dissolved and suspended materials. Dissolved and undissolved gases. And source of waste water.
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