Describe the key contaminants in sewage which wastewater treatment targets, and their

likely concentrations. Use journal articles and text books to assist

The contaminants in sewage varies depending on the source of the sewage. There are
organic component and inorganic components such as: metal and solids components.
Industrial and household waste have a large contribution in the content of sewage that are
targeted by wastewater treatments. There are various wastewater treatment technologies
available depending on the chemical properties of the contaminant. Composting is one the
main treatment technology available for organic waste that contain harmful chemicals like
linear alkylbenzensulphonates (LAS) that are highly toxic and are also endrocrine disruptors
and pharmaceutically active chemical. The table below contains main contaminants in a
typical sewage system, their likely concentration and possible treatment.
Contaminants Likely concentration
(average)
Possible Treatment process
Anions(Graczyk, Chalew et
al. 2009)
85 mg/l -190 mg/l Chemical treatment
Cations 60 mg/l -110 mg/l Chemical treatment
Other Al, B, Mn, SiO
2
2 mg/l -12 mg/l Sedimentation
Total dissolved solids 150v-380 mg/l Membranes
Dissolved organic carbon 22.1mg/l-56.2 mg/l Composting,

Total Carbon on Demand 204 mg/l -440 mg/l Carbon adsorption
Soluble COD 108 mg/l -372 mg/l Air Stripping
Dissolved organic
carbon(Huang, Li et al.
2010)
22.1 mg/l -56.2 mg/l Air stripping
Nutrients such as Nitrogen
and Phosphorus
50 mg/l -70 mg/l Chemical treatment, ion
exchange

The composition depicted in Table 1 is for domestic wastewater obtained from Graczyk,
Chalew et al. (2009) and Huang, Li et al. (2010). Industrial waste water, compared with
domestic will have different composition. In addition to the chemicals listed below, there
are other emerging chemicals in the wastewater. These chemicals have only been identified
recently and their toxicity is unknown.(Graczyk, Chalew et al. 2009). These chemicals could
be a result of an increase in industrial and pharmaceutical applications.



Graczyk, T. K., T. E. Chalew, Y. Maschinski and F. E. Lucy (2009). Wastewater Treatment (not
infectious hazards). Encyclopedia of Microbiology (Third Edition). M. Schaechter. Oxford,
Academic Press: 562-568.
Huang, M.-h., Y.-m. Li and G.-w. Gu (2010). "Chemical composition of organic matters in
domestic wastewater." Desalination 262(13): 36-42.